Abraham Ellstein

Abraham "Abe" Ellstein (Yiddish: אַבֿרהם "אײב" עלשטײן‎, Avrom Ellstein, July 7, 1907, New York City – March 22, 1963) was an American composer for Yiddish entertainments. Along with Shalom Secunda, Joseph Rumshinsky, and Alexander Olshanetsky, Ellstein was one of the "big four" composers of his era in New York City's Yiddish Theater District scene.[1] His musical Yidl Mitn Fidl became one of the greatest hits of Yiddish-language cinema.

Ellstein's only opera, The Golem, had its world premiere at the New York City Opera under the baton of music director Julius Rudel on March 23, 1962.[2] The libretto was created by the composer and his wife, Sylvia Regan, based on the mythical Golem tale of the Central European Jews.[3]

He was born on the Lower East Side, Manhattan, at that time an Eastern European Jewish immigrant area. His musical education began at the Third Street Music School Settlement. From the age of nine to thirteen, he studied piano with Frederick Jacobi. He was the conductor of the boy's choir of the Broadway production "Richard III", at only thirteen years old. He went on to study at the Graduate School of Juilliard, training as a conductor, with a major in composition.[4]