Festival’s name: FestiLadino
This is not a regular festival, but a song contest similar to the Eurovision, where new melodies join new lyrics written in the Ladino language. The word "festival" understates the excitement of an event where a symphonic orchestra accompanies the new songs.
Dates and place: Every autumn in a different location. The next one (4th Edition ) will be take place on 11 October 2006 as a part of Rishon Le-Zion's Wine Celebrations.
Festival Director: Eli Mayityahu & Moni Moreno Armuza
Production team: Moni Moreno Armuza, Ziva Almagor, Matilda Cohen Sarano (Ladino consultant) Roni Weiss - Musical director, President Itzhak Navon- Chief supporter , Yehoran Gaon – Chairmain of the jury , Hilla Komem -PR
Festival Missions
• To promote new Ladino song and lyric writers
• To promote beautiful Ladino culture among the general public
Festival History:
The festival was founded by two private and active Jerusalem residents who live and breath ladino music and culture: Eli Matityahu and Moni Moreno Armuza. They are the ones who recruited more Ladino worshipers and institutions.
National and International Cooperation:
• The Israeli Authority for Ladino culture
• The Moshe David Gaon Center at BGU
• The City of Jerusalem
• The Ministry of Education
• Omanut Le'am -,The Servantes Institute
• The Israeli Broadcasting authority
• The Turkish Jewish community in Israel
• The Israel Government Coins and Medals Corporation
just to mention a few:
Prizes and awards:
The contest offers 15,000 NIS in prizes. Also, the winners get the following trophies: Gold for the winner, Silver for the second, and Bronze for the third.
Behind the scenes story:
Three days prior to the first FestiLadino, one of the singers from Italy informed us that she would not be able to attend the contest due to sickness. We managed to get a substitute singer who rehearsed with the Symphonic Orchestra. Shortly prior to the contest, the Italian singer showed up and asked to participate in the contest. We accepted her request. Although she did not rehearse with the orchestra, she performed with only a guitar and won the first prize. The substitute singer, Odelia Dahan, did not take part in that contest but she participated in the second FestiLadino and won the first prize too.
Repertoire 2006
Ten new songs will compete in this year's contest:
"My Israel" by Eli Yaron and Adi Chayat, performance by Meital Saydof
"Smiling Eyes" by Mor Karvasi
"The Mysterious Lady" by Liora Kalman and Alfer Almalek (Istanbul), performance by Keren Sirhon and Izzit Beneh
"The Way You'll Look for Me" by Moshe Bachar, Yossi Levy, and Elisha Avshalom, performance by Nitza Termin
"Sing and Don't Cry" by Margalit Tovi, performance by Gila Chasid
"Two Lions" by Miriam Raymond and Yuval Kider/ Dganit Dado, performance by Dganit Dado
"Desert Wind (Hamsin)" by Abraham Yedidyah, performance by Galit Chai
"I'm in Love" by Rita Gabai-Tazartes (Siman-Tov) (Athens) and Rebecca Bar, performance by Chen Bar
"When Our Love Blooms" by Odelia Dahan
"Blanka and Blanka" by George Mahoudi (Buenos Aires), performance by George Mahoudi
10 Questions to the Director
Q : What makes a good Festival Director?
Eli Mayityahu : A good manager creates out of a vision; he does not compromise with reality but looks at a desirable goal and the path to achieving it. He knows how to maximize the artistic forces at his disposal and offer the audience an emotional experience.
Q: From your perspective, what is the future of Jewish Culture ?
EM : With your permission, I will talk about the future of Ladino . I believe that there is a great and wonderful power that wants to revive the culture of Ladino as the heritage we got from our parents. Beyond keeping the heritage alive, new creators and producers will keep the Ladino culture up to date and fresh, enrich it and pass it on.
Q : Your career highlights
EM : Each time I am successful with integrating the next FestiLadino from scratch, and when the contest is running with no faults, I feel I have reached a new climax. I am especially excited to see groups of Jews from the Diaspora sending their artists to Israel to be a part of FestiLadio and present a new Ladino song.
Q : Your Career disappointments
EM : My power comes from the ability to forget quickly all the disappointments and to move on.
Q: Your best business decision
EM : The decision to join forces with the Ministry of Culture and Education to produce the project. Their help is vital for the continuity of FestiLadino.
Q: Best advice you received
EM : To let youth and youngsters take part on the Festival. They fit together rapidly with the language and the culture and they adorn FestiLadino with nice, young new faces.
Q: Best advice to offer
EM :Know your roots, know where did you came from and what culture is your cradle. Know your way and where does it leads you.
Q: If you weren't doing this, you would be…
EM : I am a businessperson, I create cultural events for the community, I do every thing I want to.
Q: What friends would be surprised to learn about you?
EM : My friends know me. However, some of them may be surprised to know the breadth of the fields I am interested in. I find beauty and interest in any field and in any person, starting with Parashat Ha Shavua, Mondial and of course culture, art and music.
Contact:
Eli Mayityahu
Tel : 972 -54-4338595
e-mail: elimati@netvision.net.il
Web: http://www.festiladino.org /
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2006 :"My Israel" by Eli Yaron and Adi Chayat, performance by Meital Saydof | | 
President Itzhak Navon -Chairman The Israeli Authority for Ladino culture | | 
2003 : Liliana Treves Alcalay- Liliana Treves Alcalay (music ,words and singer | | 
2004 :Déshame Entrar ,Let me in(words and singing Odelia Dahán music Ofer Ben-Amotz ) | | 
2005 : La Lingua de kaza ,Home's language (words and music Zova Atar, Singer Yael Badash) | |
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