Ioffe Yakov (Jakov)
(5 November 1905, Sloka – 1941, Liepāja) — baritone singer.
Yakov Ioffe possessed a magnificent voice of soft, velvety timbre, even across the entire range. He was born into an Orthodox family and graduated from gymnasium. In 1926–27 he studied law at the University of Latvia, while also training in the vocal studio of the Italian consul in Latvia, F. Zanetti. He received a scholarship from the Italian Embassy to study Italian vocal traditions.
He continued university studies in Zurich, where he also pursued vocal training. Then he studied at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik with Prof. Daniel. In 1929 he won a vocal competition in Berlin.
In 1930 Yoel Yofan returned to Latvia. He performed in ensemble concerts and solo recitals (1930–34). He made his operatic debut in Liepāja during the 1931–32 season, singing Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata. In 1931-34 he worked in the Liepāja Theatre and toured in Berlin, Zurich, Stockholm, and Greece.
In 1934 he was elected Ober-Kantor of the Jelgava Synagogue, replacing the late cantor Sirota. He resumed concert activity in 1935, including a tour in Paris (1937). That same year he became Ober-Kantor in Łódź (Poland), then home to the second-largest Jewish community in Europe; his contract also allowed concert performances. He also appeared in broadcasts in the USSR, England, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, and Finland.
In summer 1939 Yoel Yofan returned to Riga. He gave chamber music concerts and toured Tallinn. In 1940 he sang at the Latvian National Opera. His operatic roles included Germont (La Traviata), Scarpia (Tosca), Escamillo (Carmen), Yeletsky and Onegin (Eugene Onegin), and the Toreador (Carmen). His chamber repertoire was extensive, including works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Gretchaninov, Vītols, Melngailis, as well as arias by Cesti, Caldara, Mozart, Verdi, Wagner, Mussorgsky, Schubert, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Jewish composers such as S. Rozovsky, J. Engel, and S. Zegor.
Yoel Yofan frequently performed at the Jewish House (often with cantor Fridlander), singing Jewish folk songs in Hebrew and Yiddish. Appeared with cellist L. Arnov performing works of Jewish composers, and with conductor M. Lavry in opera arias and oratorios. His concert repertoire included Russian, Italian, and Yiddish songs.
He also took part in numerous charity concerts: in support of Jewish refugees from Germany (1933, 1939), for the Bikur Holim society (1939), and for OZE (1940).
Yoel Yofan perished in Holocaust in Liepaja in 1941.
Lit.: Latviešu mūzika, vol. 7, 1969, pp. 147, 151.