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 studied music at Yale School of Music. She graduated with high honors from Yale College.

Laitman is known for setting poems to music. She has used words from both old and new poets. Some of these poets were sadly lost during the Holocaust.

Many important groups have asked Lori Laitman to create new music. These include the BBC, The Royal Philharmonic Society, 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. In 2021, one of her works was part of a Grammy-nominated CD.

Lori Laitman's Musical Works

Living in the Body

This is a group of six songs. It was written for a saxophonist and a singer. The songs use poems by Joyce Sutphen. They talk about feelings like sadness and memories. The music explores how these feelings affect a person as they get older. This song cycle was first performed in 2002. It is special because it uses a saxophone and a singer together, which is not very common in classical music.

The Scarlet Letter Opera

Lori Laitman wrote an opera called The Scarlet Letter. It is based on the famous book by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The opera was first performed by students in 2008. Then, a professional opera company performed it in 2016. The story for the opera was written by David Mason. A recording of the opera was released in 2017.

Vedem Oratorio

Laitman and David Mason also worked together on Vedem. This is an oratorio, which is like a large musical story. Vedem is about the Holocaust. It was performed in 2022. This was the first time an opera by a woman was shown by that opera company.

Ludlow Opera

Laitman and Mason continued their work together on an opera called Ludlow. This opera is based on a story about a mining disaster that happened in Ludlow, Colorado, in 1914.

The Three Feathers Children's Opera

Lori Laitman created a children's opera called The Three Feathers. It is based on a Grimm's fairy tale. The story for this opera was written by Dana Gioia. It was first performed in 2015. There is also a shorter version of the opera, made for school tours. This shorter version was performed in schools in Seattle and by universities. It was even performed internationally in Singapore.

Uncovered Opera

Uncovered is another opera by Laitman. It is based on a true story from a memoir. This opera was a finalist for a special prize in 2018. It was performed in Utah in March 2022. It also had its New York City premiere in November 2022.

Maya and the Magic Ring Children's Opera

Lori Laitman created her second children's opera with Dana Gioia. It is called Maya and the Magic Ring. This opera is based on a new, original story. It was commissioned by Lyric Opera of Kansas City. The work premiered in March 2025.

Unsung Orchestral Piece

In 2015, Laitman was asked to write a piece for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. This was to celebrate the orchestra's 100th birthday. The piece, called Unsung, was first performed in September 2016.

Are Women People?

Laitman wrote a piece called "Are Women People?". It was created for four singers and two pianos. The words for this piece come from important figures like Alice Duer Miller and Susan B. Anthony. It also uses text from the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This amendment gave women the right to vote. The piece was first performed in 2017. A recording of it was released in 2021.

The Imaginary Photo Album

This piece was commissioned by the BBC and the Royal Philharmonic Society. It was first broadcast in October 2020 from Wigmore Hall in London.

What Critics Say

Many music critics have praised Lori Laitman's work. Fanfare Magazine called her "one of the most talented and intriguing of living composers."

Gramophone magazine said that the music in her opera The Scarlet Letter is very beautiful. They noted her skill in combining words with lovely, flowing melodies.

The Journal of Singing wrote that it is hard to find anyone else who is as good as Laitman at taking a poem and bringing it to life with music.

Her latest CD, The Ocean of Eternity, received high praise. Opera News called it "unmistakable" and "masterful." Other reviews highlighted its beauty, cleverness, and how it makes you think. Critics often mention how Laitman's music always feels fresh and new. They say she uses her imagination to serve the text and help us understand the world better.

In 2022, Laitman started making short films of her songs. The first film, Sarong Song, combines classical music, poetry, and art. It has won awards at film festivals. The second film, "The Apple Orchard," was released in March 2024. It has also won several awards for its music and score.