Frankel Center Lecture/Demonstration. “Petersburg vs. Moscow: Two Big Differences in Russian Klezmerland.”

Pavel Lion (Psoy), songwriter, singer, performer, and philologist. Sponsors: Jean and Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies, CREES, WCED.

In the Russian tradition, the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg are often perceived as the opposite ends of a fundamental cultural opposition, which can be projected onto virtually all aspects of life. Pavel Lion will present a unique view of this dichotomy through the prism of Post-Soviet klezmer revival by comparing and contrasting the two capitals of Russian-Jewish klezmer. In his lecture, which will be accompanied by video and audio materials, he will explore the respective policies, promotion strategies, repertoires, shared (and not shared) attitudes, reputations, resources, and audiences.

Dr Pavel Lion (Psoy Korolenko) is the Artist-in-Residence with the Center for World Performance Studies and the Frankel Center for Judaic Studies. He is widely known in Russia and in the Russian-speaking diaspora as an innovative artist, singer, poet, journalist. His scholarly interests include Russian literature, Jewish music, Yiddish culture, and performance studies. His visit to the University of Michigan is co-sponsored by CREES, Department of Slavic Literatures and Languages, Department of Comparative Literature, Institute for the Humanities, International Institute, and LSA.