Lori Laitman facts for kids

Lori Laitman is an American composer. She writes many different kinds of music. This includes operas, songs for choirs, and over 300 individual songs.

About Lori Laitman

Lori Laitman was born in Long Beach, New York, in 1955. She loves setting poems to music. She has used texts by famous poets. Some of these poets were sadly killed during The Holocaust.

Laitman studied music at the Yale School of Music. She graduated with high honors. Many important groups have asked her to create new music. These include the BBC and Opera America.

Her music has been featured on radio shows. She also received a special award from the Yale School of Music in 2018. A CD featuring her music was even nominated for a Grammy Award in 2021. Lori Laitman has released many recordings of her works.

Lori Laitman's Musical Works

Lori Laitman has composed many different types of musical pieces. Here are some of her notable works.

Living in the Body

This is a group of six songs. It was written for a saxophone player and a singer. The songs use poems by Joyce Sutphen. They explore feelings like sadness and memories. This piece was first performed in 2002. It's special because it uses a saxophone and a singer together. This is not a common combination in classical music.

The Scarlet Letter

Laitman wrote an opera called The Scarlet Letter. An opera is a play where most of the words are sung. This opera is based on a famous book by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It tells a dramatic story. The opera was first performed in 2008. It had its professional premiere in 2016. You can also find a recording of it on CD.

Vedem

Vedem is another important work by Laitman. It is an oratorio, which is like an opera but usually without costumes or acting. This piece is about the The Holocaust. It was performed in 2022. This was the first time an opera by a woman was performed by that opera company.

Ludlow

Laitman is also working on an opera called Ludlow. This opera is based on a story about a mining disaster. The disaster happened in Ludlow, Colorado, in 1914.

The Three Feathers

This is a children's opera. It is based on a Grimm's fairy tale. Laitman wrote it with Dana Gioia. It was first performed in 2015. There is also a shorter version for kids. This version has toured schools. It has even been performed internationally in Singapore.

Uncovered

Uncovered is an opera based on a true story. It tells the story from a memoir. This opera was a finalist for a special composition prize. It premiered in Utah in 2022. It was also performed in New York City.

Unsung

Laitman wrote an orchestral piece called Unsung. An orchestra is a large group of musicians playing many instruments. She wrote this piece for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. It celebrated their 100th anniversary. It was first performed in 2016.

Are Women People?

This piece is about women's rights. It uses texts by Alice Duer Miller and Susan B. Anthony. It also includes words from the 19th Amendment. This amendment gave women the right to vote. The piece was first performed in 2017.

The Imaginary Photo Album

This piece was commissioned by the BBC. It was first broadcast in 2020. It was performed at the Wigmore Hall in London.

What Critics Say

Music critics have praised Lori Laitman's work. Fanfare Magazine called her "one of the most talented and intriguing of living composers." This means they think she is very skilled and interesting.

Gramophone magazine wrote about her opera The Scarlet Letter. They said the music was "sheer beauty." They noted her ability to combine words with lovely, flowing melodies.

The Journal of Singing said she has "exceptional gifts." They believe she can give new and deeper meaning to poems through her music.

Laitman has also started making short films of her songs. One film, Sarong Song, has won awards at film festivals. Another film, "The Apple Orchard," was released in 2024.