Leslie Feldman
“Fiddler on the Roof” is a beloved musical with a timeless relevance. The musical explores timeless themes such as tradition, family, love and change, which continue to resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
For Karl Middleman, 70, of Merion, the love of the musical has taken him “behind the scenes” so-to-speak and has led him to explore a creative avenue based on the play.
“I happened to be reading Yiddish author Sholem Aleichem’s stories entitled “Tevye, the Dairyman.” Those stories are the basis for the musical,” Middleman explained. “I was completely blown away by Tevye’s depth and humanity. As a child, I saw Zero Mostel, the original Tevye, in the Philadelphia touring show, but I wasn’t prepared for the uniqueness of the literary Tevye. Even while suffering the worst losses — physical attacks, the breakup of his community, the loss of a child, expulsion — Tevye never loses his sense of humor.”
Middleman, the retired founder and musical director of the Philadelphia Classical Symphony, who also recently retired from teaching at Temple University, believes that while its story may be familiar, the epic adventures of the originators should equally claim our attention.
“There were many East-European Jewish fiddlers trying to find stability and acceptance but were often forced to contend with otherness and hostility,” he said. “The roof of “Fiddler” was crowded with Jewish iconoclasts suffering discrimination and censure. Lives were upended and careers were ruined, but the creators held forth and triumphed.”
Noting that 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the beloved musical, Middleman found there was no better time than the present to take his “show on the road,” and that’s how “FiddlerS on the Roof” was created.
His show recounts the travails and triumphs of the musical’s creators in two 90-minute presentations. Each explores the lives of the musical’s creators Sholem Aleichem, Marc Chagall, Zero Mostel and Jerome Robbins and the challenges they faced. In addition to informed and often humorous commentary, the programs feature videos from the movie musical as well as clips from other rarer sources.
Middleman finds there is something appealingly stagey about Sholem Aleichem’s stories, and the show, too.
“It is said that there is a production of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ occurring at any given time somewhere in the world,” he said.
He has presented the program to Jewish interest groups in Bucks County and continues to modify it as he gains a better understanding of what works best for his audiences.
“In fact, I frequently run out of time during presentations because there is so much to say and so much great music,” Middleman said.
A native of Philadelphia, Middleman began conducting at age 16 and completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees in music theory and music composition at Temple University.
He is a recipient of many awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. His artistry was cited in 19th Century Music and Philadelphia magazine, from which his work with the classical symphony was twice honored as “Best in Philly.”
Middleman and his wife, Dori, are members of Main Line Reform Temple in Wynnewood. He served for many years as the scholar in residence for the Philadelphia Jewish Ys and the South Jersey Jewish Community Center.
He regularly speaks at Jewish Learning Centers, covering topics including “An Introduction to Yiddish Theater,” “The Jewish Life of Leonard Bernstein” and “Jewish Composers of the Great American Songbook: From Showboat to Sondheim.”
Middleman is working on presentations about 19th-century Vienna that focus on “Die Fledermaus” by Johann Strauss, Jr.
“There is a curious Jewish story regarding the posthumous reputation of the Strauss family,” he said. “Their fame was sufficient to withstand Nazi assault.”
Middleman is also starting a musical salon.
“FiddlerS on the Roof,” a two-part program, will be presented on June 2 and 9 at 10 a.m. at Main Line Reform Temple, 410 E. Montgomery Ave. in Wynnewood. The presentations are free and open to the community. Visit maestrokarl.com for more information.
Leslie Feldman is a Philadelphia-area freelance writer.
