A celebration of 95-year-old National Heritage Award-winning Sephardic singer and composer, Flory Jagoda, in her own words, with live music by Trio Sefardi, presented with the National Institute for Holocaust Documentation at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
“La Nona Kanta” is a tale of survival and courage that has particular relevance in today’s turbulent world. In filmed interviews, Flory tells the true story of how music helped her escape from Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia when she was a teenager; how she made a life in the United States; and how she turned the tragic fate of her family and Balkan Sephardic culture into a celebration of five centuries of faith and tradition, giving meaning to the rest of her life, and delighting audiences worldwide
Flory’s filmed narration* alternates with live performances of her music by Trio Sefardi, pictures from the Altarac family archives, animation, and translations of Flory’s songs, which were composed in Ladino and Serbo-Croatian.
La Nona Kanta sheds light on the tragedy that befell the Jews of Southern Europe, largely Sephardim, during World War II, a story far less known than the fate of the Jews of Eastern Europe. Under the Sephardic Communities and the Holocaust Initiative, the National Institute for Holocaust Documentation at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum proudly supports Trio Sefardi’s “La Nona Kanta” and hope that presenters will take note of this absorbing portrayal of the experiences of one survivor, Flory Jagoda, who fled Nazi-occupied Zagreb with the help of her accordion. This is a story that resonates today as the world continues to struggle with war, genocide, and the existential threats to suffering people. We believe La Nona Kanta will give audiences, young and old, Jews and non-Jews alike, a shining example of one person’s triumph over adversity and will lend new meaning to the on-going battles against hatred and prejudice.Jaime J. Monllor, International Outreach Officer, National Institute for Holocaust Documentation, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum