Samuel Berlad
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Samuel Lawrence Berlad (born December 3rd, 1987) is a bass-baritone , Podcast host, musicologist, and jewish cantor who holds a Master's degree in Opera from Frankfurt University of Music and the Performing Arts as well as a Diploma in Vocal Pedagogy from the Wiesbaden Music Academy.
The concert repertoire of Samuel Berlad includes major oratorios and art songs.
Early life
editBorn Samuel Lawrence Berlad, in December 3rd 1987, to an American mother and a German father of Transylvanian origins. Samuel grew up in Frankfurt, Germany.
Jacke Lerner, his maternal grandfather, was a jewish cantor at Bnei Rephael synagogue in Miami, Florida, and he had a major influence on his musical upbringing.
Samuel Berlad holds a Master's degree in Opera from Frankfurt University for Music and the Performing Arts as well as a Diploma in Vocal Pedagogy from the Wiesbaden Music Academy. He also studied Jewish Cantorial Arts at Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute under Naftali Herstik, Raymond Goldstein and Chaim Feifel.
Career
editOpera
editSamuel Berlad's major performances
- Belcore in Donizetti’s L’Elisir D’amore with The Jerusalem Opera
- Sam in Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti with The Jerusalem Street Orchestra
- Leporello in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with The Israel Chamber Orchestra and with The Israel Sinfonietta Beer-Sheva
- Papageno in Mozart’s The Magic Flute with The Jerusalem Opera
- Collatinus in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia with Opera Incognita in Munich
- The title role in Ullmann’s The Emperor of Atlantis with The Israel Chamber Orchestra
- Figaro in Paisiello Il barbiere di Siviglia with the Jungle Per Rhein-Main
- Il Conte in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro with the Jungle Oper Rhein-Main
- Uberto in Pergolesi's La Serva Padrona with the Israel Chamber Orchestra.
- Schlendrian in Bach's Coffee Cantata with the Israel Chamber Orchestra.
- Schaunard in Puccini's La Bohème with Opera Haifa
- Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen with Dartington Festival
- Morales in Bizet's Carmen with Opera Haifa
Samuel Berlad’s recent concert highlights include Schubert's Die Schöne Müllerin with pianist Jonathan Zak in venues across Israel. His broadcast of Schubert Songs for the “Israel Schubertiade 2021” with pianist Ido Ariel. He received great acclaim for his performance of the baritone solo in Brahms’ “German Requiem”.
Samuel Berlad is currently a member of the ensemble of Nordharzer Städtebundtheater in Halberstadt and Quedlinburg, Germany.
Podcast
Samuel Berlad hosts a podcast about opera called “Why do I care?” to make Opera more accessible to millennials and GenZ.
Musicology
Besides his performance career, Samuel is a student of musicology.
Hazzanut
editSamuel Berlad has officiated as a hazzan in Europe, Israel and the Americas.
Teaching
editSamuel Berlad was a hazzanut teacher at Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute and serves as a reservist in the Israeli Military Rabbinate as a cantor and voice teacher.
He is also a voice and hazzanut teacher in Jerusalem, Israel.
References
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