A musical celebration of compassion

The 90-minute Emigre, spread over two acts, tells the story of two Jewish brothers who have to navigate through their new lives after arriving in Shanghai in 1938 as refugees. The musical work, according to Yu, is aimed at sending a message that the "survival of a race depends on diverse communities learning to embrace a shared humanity".

There are 17 songs in Emigre, including A Woman's Hands, In a Perfect World, Through a Window, and Shanghai. The work is sung in English, as the group believes the language would allow for it to be promoted around the world, Yu adds.

"The Chinese and the Jewish both faced similar types of persecution before and after the war, and that in itself always made me feel that the telling of this story in some way with music would be important. As such, I chose the idea of a multicultural love story to bridge the divide," says Zigman.

Jewish artists have been involved a lot in the music scene in Shanghai.

Among the many Jewish people who sought refuge in Shanghai, more than 400 were musicians, according to the records of the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum. These musicians not only brought Hebrew-Yiddish music to the city, but also cabaret, jazz, pop music, classical music, musicals and light operas that enriched the city's musical scene.

In fact, Jewish musicians played a pivotal role in building the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra, which is today known as the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. They also contributed to the development of the National Conservatory of Music, now known as the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.