The concept album for new musical drama Soviet Zion has been released and made available online as a feature length operatic radio play. 

Soviet Zion is an original story inspired by the history of Siberia’s Jewish Autonomous region, exploring the intertwining lives of pioneers who move to Siberia to participate in the real-life movement to establish the first Jewish homeland as a Yiddish-speaking socialist utopia. It focuses on six interwoven lives questioning identity, integrity, belonging and nationhood.

This powerful tale follows two families who arrive as pioneers to settle in the far east of Russia, just as many others are planning to leave. The experiences of a girl arriving from Malibu and struggles to adapt to her very different new life contrast with those of another women who must strategise her every move carefully when she is manipulated into compromising positions. 

Featuring a book by Giles Howe with Roberto Trippini and music by Giles Howe and Katy Lipson, the show originally premiered at The London Jewish Museum in 2014. This new version of Soviet Zion features new symphonic orchestrations created in collaboration with film-score arranger, Brian Freeland. Creative Director and Co-Producer Giles Howe said: “produced during the height of the lockdown restrictions, we overcome many unusual challenges in safely bring to life this ambitious recording.”

Two releases have been made available: the feature length operatic radio play is the original concept album performed in English and the bonus release features selections from the show in Yiddish, translated by poet Gittel Schwartz. 

The cast for this new recording includes Kate Radmilovic, Kimberly Blake, Sam Young, Joseph Claus, Michaela Stern, John Ellis, Bruno Loxton, Naomi Kilby, Toni Green, David Francis, Michal Ish-Horowitz and Jeff Kuznicki. 

Soviet Zion is available through iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon and Spotify. 

For more information, please click here.