All the music on Madame Levy’s Salon comes from the collection of Sara Itzig Levy, the eighteenth-century Jewish socialite from Berlin and great aunt of composer Felix Mendelssohn. Dr Mark Knoll will talk before both performances about Levy’s fascinating family history, her life and musical activities, her association with the various composers represented on the concert program and with the Berlin Sing-Akademie. The talks begin 1 hour before each concert.

Admission to the pre-concert talks is $5 general admission, free for Supporters, Season Pass holders and grade school children aged 8-18, available online or at the door.

Mark Knoll is director of Steglein Publishing Company and is editor for the C.P.E. Bach complete-works edition. Himself a former member of the Berlin Sing-Akademie, Dr Knoll has been closely following developments surrounding the rediscovery of the Sing-Akademie archives and what they can tell us about Sara Levy and her family. Knoll holds a PhD in musicology from the University of Michigan with a dissertation on the Bach sons.

For more information about Madame Levy’s Salon, Dr Knoll or Tempesta di Mare, you can reach us at 215-755-8776 or by email at info@tempestadimare.org.