Abraham Ellstein

Abraham Ellstein (July 7, 1907 – March 22, 1963) was an American composer, bandleader, and recording artist born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, then a densely populated Eastern European Jewish immigrant neighborhood. His formal musical training began at the Third Street Music School Settlement, where he studied piano under Frederick Jacobi from age nine through thirteen. At thirteen, he also served as conductor of the boy's choir for a Broadway production of Richard III. He later pursued advanced study at the Graduate School of Juilliard, concentrating in conducting with a major in composition.

Ellstein built his reputation primarily within New York City's Yiddish Theater District, where he became recognized alongside Sholom Secunda, Joseph Rumshinsky, and Alexander Olshanetsky as one of the four dominant composers of that scene. His stage works in the Yiddish theater spanned several decades and included the 1930 operetta Der berditshever khosn, with a libretto by Israel Rosenberg; the 1934 musical comedy Eyns un a rekhts, written by Anschel Schorr; the 1940 piece Der Nayer Sher; and the 1946 romantic musical comedy Ikh bin farlibt, written by William Siegel. He also composed the operetta Bublitshki in 1938 and contributed music to a later operetta, Vos Iz Gevorn Fun Mayn Shtetele, with lyrics by Isidore Lillian.

His work extended into Yiddish-language cinema, most notably with Yidl Mitn Fidl, a 1936 romantic musical comedy film produced by Joseph Green that became one of the most celebrated hits of Yiddish-language cinema. He also composed music for the 1938 Polish Yiddish film Mamele, written by Edmund Zayenda. Among his popular songs, he collaborated repeatedly with lyricist Molly Picon on works including Oygn, Abi Gezunt, Ikh Zing, Mazl, and Ikh Vil Es Hern Nokh Amol, and with Jacob Jacobs on Zog Es Mir Nokh Amol and Der Alter Tsigayner.

Ellstein's single Broadway credit as a composer was Great to Be Alive!, a musical comedy that opened in 1950. His sole opera, The Golem, received its world premiere at the New York City Opera on March 23, 1962, conducted by music director Julius Rudel. The libretto was written by Ellstein in collaboration with his wife, playwright Sylvia Regan, and drew on the mythological Golem narrative of Central European Jewish tradition.