Dear friends, colleagues & visitors,
The premiere of my song-cycle, Life of the Dead, based on poems by Hanoch Levin, performed by the wonderful Copenhagen Girls' Choir (Sankt Annæ Pigekor), and conducted by Claus Vestergaard Jensen, has just taken place at the Esajas Church in Østerbro (Copenhagen), Denmark. I would like to thank Johan Svitzer (Edition Svitzer, my publisher), Mr. Vestergaard, and the choir, for making this event happen.
Lilian Bareto (Hanoch Levin's wife)Gal Canetti (Kneller Artist Agency) Gilad Benari (Photography) Ronni Kot Wenzell (Video Editing, Layout & Design) Erez Volk (English Translations) Tal Gazit Eyal (Hebrew assistance) And, Hanoch Levin R.I.P. - for his heartbreaking poems. Here below you can watch, listen & share a video of the 3rd song, Zo Sha'ah Nifla'ah (Now Is A Wonderful Time). Please see also the following English Translation, as well as the original Hebrew text. Thank you for stopping by!
Now Is A Wonderful Time - Hanoch Levin (Trans. - Erez Volk)
and tremble I would if I could,
I would whisper and sing in your ears,
if only I could do those things,
never was, never shall better be,
you crouching above me, me lying below
as if in a moment some thing will come,
and I never will.
_________________
זוֹ שָׁעָה נִפְלָאָה
שֶׁל רְעָדַת הַלֵּב,
וְהָיִיתִי רוֹעֵד לוּ יָכֹלְתִּי לִרְעֹד,
וְהָיִיתִי שָׁר וְלוֹחֵשׁ בְּאָזְנַיִךְ
לוּ יָכֹלְתִּי לָשִׁיר וְלִלְחֹשׁ,
זוֹ שָׁעָה נִפְלָאָה,
לֹא הָיְתָה, לֹא תִּהְיֶה עוֹד כְּמוֹתָהּ,
אַתְּ גּוֹהֶרֶת עָלַי, וַאֲנִי תַּחְתַּיִךְ
קַשּׁוּב בְּלִי תְּנוּעָה,
כְּאִלּוּ יִהְיֶה עוֹד רֶגַע דְּבַר-מַה,
שֶׁכְּמוֹתוֹ לֹא יָדַעְתִּי,
וְאַתְּ עוֹד תֵּדְעִי,
וַאֲנִי לֹא אֵדַע.
חנוך לוין, חיי המתים