ALBERTO MIZRAHI
Greek-born tenor, Alberto Mizrahi, one of the world's leading interpreters of Jewish music, is Hazzan of the historic Anshe Emet Synagogue, Chicago. He has thrilled audiences worldwide in recitals, symphony concerts, and opera. Affectionately known as “the Jewish Pavarotti,” Mizrahi's repertoire, spanning nine languages, makes his performances unique in the field.
He is featured on PBS television in CANTORS: a faith in song and in the PBS 2009 Hanukkah Special with Craig Taubman. He has performed and recorded with the legendary jazz pianist, Dave Brubeck and his quartet (“Gates of Justice”) for the Milken Archive on the Naxos label, and with the great Theodore Bikel (“Our Song”). He has also performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony, Houston Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Washington Choral Society and Symphony Orchestra, Haifa Symphony, Jerusalem Symphony, NDR Symphony, Lithuanian National Symphony, Radio Television Orchestra of Spain and the Sinfonia Krakowia.
Hazzan Mizrahi has performed in front of two U.S. Presidents; G. W. Bush, at the White House Hanukkah celebration and Barack Obama, at the U. S. Capitol for Days of Remembrance. He was the featured singer with Genesis at the Crossroads in Casablanca and Rabat, Morocco and recently appeared with “CANTORS: a faith in song” in Sao Paolo and Rio De Janeiro. He sang in Carnegie Hall for the Zamir Chorale celebration of Israel at 60, with orchestra and choir for KAVANAH: tradition and transformation, a modern music tour throughout The Netherlands, and with the Cantors Assembly in Warsaw, Krakow and Jerusalem. Mizrahi sang the world premiere of Krzysztof Penderecki’s “Kaddish” under the composer’s baton and aired his 8-part series, “The Art of the Cantor” on the WFMT network throughout the U.S. He was featured in “Sounds of Faith” at the Rockefeller Chapel (U of Chicago) and in the Quebec Sacred Music Festival. His schedule takes him on concerts throughout the U.S. and Europe in 2010.
Mizrahi’s extensive discography numbers over 25 CDs including six for the Milken Archive on Naxos, FESTIVAL DELIGHTS, THE HIGH HOLY DAYS (with Schola Hebraeica), BIRTHDAY OF THE WORLD I&II (with the Western Wind Vocal Ensemble), ANSHE EMET LIVE, BIKEL & MIZRAHI: OUR SONG, ALBERTO MIZRAHI: my world, ALBERTO MIZRAHI AT MENUHIN HALL and YIZKOR with the Afro-Semitic Experience. He most recently recorded and premiered the highly reviewed “YIZKOR: music of remembrance” with the Afro-Semitic Experience, and “MY WORLD” with Howard Levy, John Bilezikjian and the ZAHAV ensemble.
Cantor Mizrahi is an officer of the Cantors Assembly, on the Board of the Zamir Choral Foundation, Advisory Board of Genesis at the Crossroads and on the faculty of the H.L. Miller Cantorial School-J.T.S., N.Y. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Deborah, and they have one child, Belina, in graduate school at Yale.
"Mizrahi was charismatic and fearless, unabashedly emotional… the tone full and golden…he held you spellbound…." London Times
“The hazzan here, often improvising with the soul-stretching intensity of John Coltrane, is the internationally renowned Alberto Mizrahi…” Nat Hentof – Wall Street Journal
