American soprano and Yiddish chanteuse Heather Klein follows her passion of “painting pictures” with her voice – interpreting and inhabiting characters and bringing stories to life.
Heather is a classically trained soprano and performs Opera, Yiddish classical song, theater and folk music, as well as other styles. For the past decade, she has performed across the U.S., Canada and Europe, as a soloist and as part of various musical groups and opera companies.
Highlights include singing with mentors Three Yiddish Divas, and touring with the National Yiddish Theatre-Folksbine alongside, among others, Zalmen Mlotek and Claire Barry of the Barry sisters, as well as working on new music with colleagues.
Produced and researched, she has released two Yiddish musical albums, including, “Shifreles Portret: A Yiddish Art Song Project” with her “Inextinguishable Trio.” Some songs from the album are influenced by Klein’s recent residency in Budapest where she researched sheet music, collaborated in concert with Hungarian musicians and had her residency performance at the Balint Haz JCC and other venues throughout the country.
Heather performed Yiddish art song in New York City at YIVO Institute for Jewish Research for many years in concert, and as a part of Sidney Krum Young Artist Series. Klein has been invited back to create her own program with colleagues. In addition, she played the role of Rosie in the world-premiere of "Ravensbruek Project," a cabaret opera based on the Holocaust, before a sold-out theater in Boston.
Klein has performed throughout the San Francisco Bay area to promote her albums and work on her different projects including Shabes Zingt/Nu Shabes: her Yiddishkayt Shabbat service; her charitable program: Hungry for Yiddish, and as usual, is always looking to discover forgotten and unknown songs, with the hope of one day performing them.
Most recently Heather has worked with Sundance in Massachusetts, and New Music Group in New York City on a new Yiddish/English opera. She has also premiered the title roles in "Lilith the Night Demon" a modern Yiddish/English Opera, as well as the west coast premiere of Di Megile of Itsik Manger. She recently premiered her other project: "Yiddish Spring" in honor of Yom HaShoah at the Contemporary Jewish Museum performing Yiddish songs with Veretski Pass, and working with her own Trio to expose a beautiful Yiddish song cycle: Mameloshn.
This year, Klein premiered her new show about her grandmother's immigrant journey called Shanghai Angel, written and composed by Klein and the music arranged by her collaborator Joshua Horowitz (Verestski Pass) The show premiered in February at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and is currently continuing performances throughout 2019. Most recently Heather performed in recital at YidStock this past summer with collaborator Joshua Horowitz at the Yiddish Book Center in New Amherst, Massachusetts.
Heather earned her Bachelor's and Master's from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She most recently worked as a Cantorial Soloist and B'nei Mitzvah tutor at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, California and continues her cantorial work at Temple Sinai in Las Vegas where she also produces Yiddish Las Vegas; a Yiddish culture festival for the Las Vegas community.
Heather is a classically trained soprano and performs Opera, Yiddish classical song, theater and folk music, as well as other styles. For the past decade, she has performed across the U.S., Canada and Europe, as a soloist and as part of various musical groups and opera companies.
Highlights include singing with mentors Three Yiddish Divas, and touring with the National Yiddish Theatre-Folksbine alongside, among others, Zalmen Mlotek and Claire Barry of the Barry sisters, as well as working on new music with colleagues.
Produced and researched, she has released two Yiddish musical albums, including, “Shifreles Portret: A Yiddish Art Song Project” with her “Inextinguishable Trio.” Some songs from the album are influenced by Klein’s recent residency in Budapest where she researched sheet music, collaborated in concert with Hungarian musicians and had her residency performance at the Balint Haz JCC and other venues throughout the country.
Heather performed Yiddish art song in New York City at YIVO Institute for Jewish Research for many years in concert, and as a part of Sidney Krum Young Artist Series. Klein has been invited back to create her own program with colleagues. In addition, she played the role of Rosie in the world-premiere of "Ravensbruek Project," a cabaret opera based on the Holocaust, before a sold-out theater in Boston.
Klein has performed throughout the San Francisco Bay area to promote her albums and work on her different projects including Shabes Zingt/Nu Shabes: her Yiddishkayt Shabbat service; her charitable program: Hungry for Yiddish, and as usual, is always looking to discover forgotten and unknown songs, with the hope of one day performing them.
Most recently Heather has worked with Sundance in Massachusetts, and New Music Group in New York City on a new Yiddish/English opera. She has also premiered the title roles in "Lilith the Night Demon" a modern Yiddish/English Opera, as well as the west coast premiere of Di Megile of Itsik Manger. She recently premiered her other project: "Yiddish Spring" in honor of Yom HaShoah at the Contemporary Jewish Museum performing Yiddish songs with Veretski Pass, and working with her own Trio to expose a beautiful Yiddish song cycle: Mameloshn.
This year, Klein premiered her new show about her grandmother's immigrant journey called Shanghai Angel, written and composed by Klein and the music arranged by her collaborator Joshua Horowitz (Verestski Pass) The show premiered in February at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and is currently continuing performances throughout 2019. Most recently Heather performed in recital at YidStock this past summer with collaborator Joshua Horowitz at the Yiddish Book Center in New Amherst, Massachusetts.
Heather earned her Bachelor's and Master's from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She most recently worked as a Cantorial Soloist and B'nei Mitzvah tutor at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, California and continues her cantorial work at Temple Sinai in Las Vegas where she also produces Yiddish Las Vegas; a Yiddish culture festival for the Las Vegas community.