- 1993: Wendy Ginsberg wrote a comedic/dramatic Purim play to kick off the new Drama Ministry at Temple Aron Ha Kodesh in Lauderdale Lakes, FL. Jeremiah Ginsberg contributed one of his songs, “I’ll Not Be Silent” (Psalm 30:11-12, 1-2, 5). There was standing room only for the one night performance. Huge joyful success! Then the play was put away for 14 years until…
- 2007: While producing “Mendel & Moses” at The Royalty Theatre in Clearwater, FL featuring operatic tenor, Giorgio Aristo, as Pharaoh, his wife, Melody Kielish, also a well-known soprano, said to Jeremiah, “Your melodies are glorious! You are a modern-day Puccini! You need to write an opera.” Jeremiah replied, “But I am a musical theatre writer and have never written an opera. I wouldn’t know where to begin. But if I did decide to write one, what would I write?” And Melody answered, “My favorite book in the Bible is the story of Queen Esther.” So Jeremiah wrote half of the first aria, “If I Perish, I Will Perish,” called Melody and sang it over the phone for her. She loved it, and that was as far as he got because the Ginsbergs became busy writing another new musical, “The Time of Mendel’s Trouble,” which they produced off-Broadway at The Beckett Theatre in New York City in 2008. So the Esther opera was put away for another 3 years until…
- 2010: With Israel being constantly threatened, slandered and pressured, Jeremiah felt a deep desire to do something in her defense. The Esther project with its uplifting message of victory against all odds would be the perfect vessel. So they dusted off Wendy’s delightful play that she had written 17 years earlier and Jeremiah began to musicalize and orchestrate it.
- December 2012: After working diligently for 2 years to compose and orchestrate the score, an amazing door of opportunity presented itself. Jeremiah was invited to premiere two arias from “Esther, Sweet Esther” at the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast the following month.
- January 2013: A stellar cast was assembled and brought to Washington, DC. They performed for the packed out audience and received a rousing standing ovation! Pastor Charlie Rizzo, who was attending the Prayer Breakfast, invited the Ginsbergs to bring the full operetta to Maranatha Church in Paramus, NJ. The Ginsbergs gladly accepted the invitation!
- August 2013: The Ginsbergs produced 3 concert version performances of “Esther, Sweet Esther” at Maranatha Church in Paramus, NJ. The audiences were wowed! They rose to their feet, cheering, and gave the cast enthusiastic standing ovations! And then the show was put away until…
- 2017: A brilliant idea! Bring “Esther, Sweet Esther” to Washington, DC! First for a one-night gala event, then for a limited engagement in a DC theatre, then on to New York City! A Concert Version Performance was scheduled to take place on July 30, 2017 at The National Press Club.
- July 30, 2017: The thrilling, uplifting and elegant Concert Version Performance was a grand success! Standing Ovation! Onward and upward to a full production in a DC-area theatre and then up to New York City! http://esthersweetesther.com/donate/sponsor/
- May 21, 2018: An Evening of Songs & Scenes at The Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC.