The Great Dictionary of the Yiddish Language tells the tragi-comic story of Yiddish linguist Yudel Mark’s unfinished effort to create the first comprehensive Yiddish dictionary. The Great Dictionary invites audiences to contemplate the surprisingly grand ambition of Yiddish culture after its decimation during the Holocaust and to consider the power of language to transform and shape us.

With a runtime of 60 minutes, the concert is performed by an ensemble of five singers, combining characters based on historical figures with those inspired by Jewish mystical themes; the character of Yudel Mark is haunted by three ‘alefs,’ divine emanations of the Yiddish language—played by three mezzo-sopranos—who compel him to breathe new life into Yiddish as he struggles to complete the dictionary.