As the Jewish world roiled over Theodor Herzl’s bold declarations about Jews being a people rather than followers of a religion, the same debate over what it means to be Jewish ripped apart his marriage to Julie Naschauer Herzl, daughter of a wealthy Viennese family, who had no interest in her husband’s fantasies.

The first English opera about Herzl, State of the Jews, interweaves the political turmoil of turn-of-the-century Europe with the relatively unknown story of Theodor’s marriage.

Accompanied by St. Luke’s Orchestra and discussion with composer Alex Weiser and librettist Ben Kaplan.