Petr’s Moon is an original interdisciplinary concert experience conceived and directed by Carly Gordon. The show was premiered by the Downwind Quintet in Montreal, Quebec, in April 2017.
Weaving together narration, poetry, and archival film, this powerful live performance brings to life the diary of Petr Ginz, a fourteen-year-old boy whose clever short stories and detailed accounts of everyday life leavened the oppressive world of Theresienstadt concentration camp through the creative and curious eye of a child. Petr’s Moon was conceived with the goal of engaging audiences in a meaningful, musical, and accessible conversation about the Holocaust, and was developed in collaboration with religious leaders and educators from the Montreal community.
Throughout the performance, members of the quintet read from Petr’s diary, poems, and stories — all over a moving, immersive soundtrack of works by Pavel Haas, Erwin Schulhoff, and Oskar Morawetz. These selections are joined by vibrant renditions of traditional klezmer music; and the premiere* of Terezín by Cristóbal MarYán, a dramatic work commissioned by the Downwind Quintet and incorporating poetry and artwork created by the children of Theresienstadt.
*World premiere: April 25, 2017 in Montreal, Quebec
Ontario premiere: September 24, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario
Recognition for Petr’s Moon
• Winner, 2016-17 Schulich International Grant, Master’s Performance Award
• Invited Panelist, 2017 University of Toronto Multidisciplinary Creative Conference
• Press coverage in Montreal Jewish Magazine and La Scena Musicale
Perform Petr’s Moon
Is your wind quintet interested in delivering a performance of Petr’s Moon, or want to learn more about what’s involved? Contact Carly with any questions, or to request the scripts, scores, and audiovisual media you’ll need.
Photos by Brock Jenken Photography.
Carly J. Gordon 
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