What happens when an entire generation of composers disappears from history?
Missing Voices: a Concert project by French pianist Dimitri Malignan, is dedicated to restoring the music and legacy of Jewish composers whose lives and careers were extinguished during the Holocaust. Before World War II, composers such as Pál Hermann, Henriëtte Bosmans, and Daniël Belinfante were widely respected, their works performed throughout Europe to critical acclaim. With the rise of the Nazi regime, many were persecuted, murdered, or forced into exile—leaving their music largely erased from the cultural memory of the concert stage.
Today, even historically informed performers are often unfamiliar with these composers. Missing Voices seeks to change that by returning their works to audiences and restoring the artistic voices silenced by the atrocities of the twentieth century.
Malignan launched Missing Voices in 2020 with a documentary film and concerts in the Netherlands. Since then, the project has grown into an international initiative, with performances across France, Belgium, Italy, the United States, and Uzbekistan. Further performances in 2025 included Thailand, India, and Cambodia.
This year, in 2026, Malignan returns to the United States for a tour featuring American soprano Lily Arbisser.
Through concerts, recordings, exhibitions, and film, Missing Voices offers a powerful act of cultural remembrance—ensuring that the music of these artists is heard once again. Malignan’s four albums dedicated to the repertoire of Missing Voices bring renewed attention to these overlooked composers.
Artists
Dimitri Malignan, piano
Born in Paris in 1998 to Romanian parents, Dimitri Malignan stands out as one of the most accomplished and creative pianists of his generation. He captivates audiences with his profound musicality, as well as the integrity and commitment of his artistic choices.
A laureate of more than twenty international competitions, he notably won the 3rd Prize, along with the Audience Prize and the J.S. Bach Prize, at the 2021 Concours Musical International de Montréal.
Trained by Ludmila Berlinskaya at the École Normale de Musique de Paris—where he won the prestigious Alfred Cortot Prize in 2017—he later pursued his studies at the Conservatory of Amsterdam with Naum Grubert and at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome with Benedetto Lupo.
With an extensive discography, including two solo albums and several chamber music recordings, Dimitri Malignan is also the co-artistic director of the Voix étouffées—Missing Voices collection with Editions Hortus. He actively contributes by recording multiple volumes as a pianist. This ambitious discographic series follows the Missing Voices project, an initiative launched by Malignan in 2019.
Dedicated to highlighting Jewish composers persecuted by the Nazi regime and murdered during the Holocaust, this project sheds light on these tragically forgotten artists. With deep dedication and passion, Dimitri brings their stories back to life through concerts in Europe and the United States, recordings, exhibitions, and documentary films.
He regularly performs in France at renowned venues such as the Salle Cortot and Salle Colonne in Paris, the Salle de l’Institut in Orléans, and the Opéra de Reims, as well as in prestigious festivals. He frequently appears abroad—in the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Romania, Moldova, and Uzbekistan—whether as a soloist, in chamber music settings, or with orchestras. In 2024, Dimitri successfully completed his first tour in the United States and Canada. In 2025, he made his South Asian debut, performing in India, Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia
Lily Arbisser, soprano
Lily Arbisser is an “individual-timbred soprano” (Opera News) whose voice “floats effortlessly” (www.feastofmusic.com) over the orchestra. Beginning in 2025, she is thrilled to share the stage with frequent collaborator Dimitri Malignan and his “Missing Voices” project.
Highlights of recent seasons include joining Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute in Chicago as a vocal fellow, being a semi-finalist in the Kurt Weill Foundation’s prestigious Lotte Lenya Competition, and winning first prize in the National Federation of Music Clubs’ Biennial Young Artist Competition.
In addition to frequent appearances as a soloist on oratorio and operatic stages, Lily is dedicated to the art of the recital, performing beloved songs from the traditional canon alongside lesser-known works.
She has made appearances as Amour in Gluck’s “Orphée et Eurydice” in New York City and joins pianist Renate Rohlfing for a recital Lily curated for the Sembrich on Lake George, honoring famous early 20th century duo, soprano Alma Gluck and violinist Efrem Zimbalist. Lily’s artistry is grounded in the understanding gained from the Libero Canto School of SingingTM with her teachers Deborah Carmichael and Kinga Cserjési. Libero Canto is a process-oriented approach which holds that the body instinctually knows how to sing but is frequently blocked by psycho-social factors that inhibit freer singing.
Lily graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton University with a Bachelor of the Arts in Art and Archaeology and a Certificate in Vocal Performance. She holds a Master of Music degree from Mannes College. When not singing, she can be found outdoors cultivating her passion for ecological restoration and native plants.
