Susana Behar Ensemble

About

Susana Behar was born in Havana to a Cuban family with roots in the Sephardic community of Turkey. From an early age, she was immersed in the traditional music of her homeland as well as the evocative kantikas in Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) passed down by her grandparents. In 1965 she emigrated to Venezuela, where she started to explore and perform the music of her adoptive country as well as the Latin American and Jewish folklore. She earned a degree in Biology from the Universidad Central de Venezuela before moving to Miami, where she has lived and performed ever since. She was joined by Michel Gonzalez on guitar, Adolfo Herrera on percussion, and Saul Vera on mandolin and bandola llana.

For almost 20 years, Susana Behar has focused her artistic career on the preservation and performance of the Sephardic musical repertoire. Passionate about the richness of traditional music and its connection to cultural memory and storytelling, she has performed across the U.S., Latin America, Canada, Israel, and Japan. In 2017, she developed and premiered her project “Ladino Meets Latino,” incorporating songs from the Sephardic and Latin American musical traditions. Her work has been featured in award-winning films, radio programs, and collaborative productions, including the Kennedy Center’s celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month in 2024.

Program: ALTA, ALTA ES LA LUNA (High, high is the moon) – A poignant dialogue between mother and daughter, woven in a tender melody. LA SERENA…

Archive

Library of Congress, in Library of Congress: talks and concerts

Licence or status

Rights statement at the Library of Congress, as the Library of Congress states it.

Credit

Library of Congress

Language

English

Country

United States

Who can watch

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