Babylon

Opera in seven scenes

Libretto by Peter Sloterdijk

Jörg Widmann and Peter Sloterdijk present a new interpretation of the Babylon myth, deflecting the central focus from punishment by God to the experience of chaos and the realisation of the necessity for order. Chaos is represented by a great flood, a carnival scene and human sacrifice; order emerges through the establishment of a temporal structure (the seven-day week) and the new contract ultimately concluded between humans and the Gods. Two figures represent these contrasting principles: Inanna embodies sensuous Babylonian love whereas the figure of the Soul stands for Platonic love. Widmann’s music contains variety, concurrence and disparity of forms, sounds and temporal structures. There is also a high degree of formal design and strict organisation in which the number 7 repeatedly operates as an element for the establishment of order.

Edition: Performance material

Hire Order

Product Details

Description

The composer Jörg Widmann and Peter Sloterdijk in his first venture as librettist present a new interpretation of the Babylon myth in this musicaldramatic Gesamtkunstwerk. They see the construction of the tower of Babel as an expression of mortal hubris, deflecting the central focus from punishment through a divine authority, focussing instead on the primordial experience of chaos and suffering in an unhinged world and the resulting realisation of the necessity for order.

Chaos and confusion are represented through the great flood, an orgiastic carnival scene and a human sacrifice, whereas order and rationality emerge through the establishment of a temporal structure (for example the seven- day week) and the new contract ultimately concluded between humans and the gods. Two figures represent these contrasting principles: Inanna (Anna Prohaska) embodies sensuous Babylonian and pluralistic love whereas the figure of the Soul (Claron McFadden) stands for Platonic and almost childlike love. The Soul always remains a stranger in the world, even in the ‘new’ Babylon.

Widmann’s music also interlinks conflicting principles: on the one hand it contains extreme variety, concurrence and disparity of forms, sounds and temporal structures, displaying itself – to a greater extent than the libretto – as the genuine location of Babylonian linguistic confusion. On the other hand, we observe a high degree of formal design and strict organisation in which the number 7 repeatedly operates as an element for the establishment of order.

Orchestral Cast

4 (alle auch Picc., 3. auch Altfl., 4. auch Bassfl.) · 4 (2. auch Ob. d'am., 3. auch Engl. Hr., 4. auch Heckelphon) · 4 (2. auch Es-Klar., 3. auch Bassklar., 4. auch Kb.-Klar.) · 4 (3. u. 4. auch Kfg.) - 4 (auch 4 Naturhr.) · 4 (1. auch hoch B ad lib., 2. und 3. auch hoch B) · 4 (3. u. 4. auch Basspos. od. Kb.-Pos.) · 1 - P. S. (I: Vibr. · Röhrengl. · Röhrengl. in Wasserbottich · Plattengl. · Trgl. · 3 hg. Beck. [h./m./t.] · chin. Beck. · Sizzle-Beck. · 3 gestimmte Gongs · Peking-Oper-Gong · Buckelgongs · 3 Tamt. [h./m./t.] · 2 brasil. Tamborims [sehr h./h.] · 2 Bong. · kl. Tr. · Tomt. [h.] · gr. Tr. · Metal Chimes · Guiro · Mar. · 5 Holzbl. · Peitsche · Flex. · Donnerblech · Vibraslap · Rainmaker; II: Glsp. · Crot. · Xyl. · Steel Drum · Röhrengl. · Weinglas [d‘‘]· Beckenpaar · 3 hg. Beck. [h./m./t.] · chin. Beck. · Peking-Oper-Gong · Watergong · 3 Tamt. [h./m./t.] · Watertamt. · 2 brasil. Tamborims [sehr h./h.] · Riq [arab. Schellentr.] · 3 Tomt. [h./m./t.] · gr. Tr. · Waldteufel · Claves · Ratsche · 4 Kast. · Peitsche · Flex. · Lotosfl.; III: Glsp. · Crot. · 3 hg. Bronzeplatten [mittel-t./t./sehr t.] · Trgl. · 2 Mini-Cup-Beck. [h./m.] · hg. Beck. [h./m.] · chin. Beck. · 2 Buckelgongs · Tamt. [t.] · 2 brasil. Tamborims [sehr h./h.] · 2 Bong. · 3 Tomt. [h./m./t.] · Timbales · gr. Tr. [mit und ohne Beck.] · Löwengebrüll [Brummtopf] · Metal Chimes · Maracas · Kast. · Rute · Claves · Holzbl. [mittel-h.] · Lotosfl. · 2 Vibraslaps · Rainmaker · Waterphone; IV: Röhrengl. · Plattengl. · Weinglas [g‘] · Buckelgongs · 3 hg. Bronzeplatten [mittel-t./t./sehr t.] · Riq [arab. Schellentr.] · Drumset [Hi-hat, Beck., Bass drum m. Fußmaschine, Snare drum, 3 Tomt.] · gr. Tr. · Ocean drum · Flex. · Windmaschine [auf und hinter der Bühne]) (4 Spieler) - Glasharmonika · 2 Hfn. · Akk. · Klav. · Org. (auch Klavier hinter der Bühne) - Str. (12 · 10 · 8 · 6 · 5 [alle 5-Saiter])

Auf der Bühne: 7 Schofaroth · 4 Trp., später Solo-Trp.
Live Electronics ad lib.

Cast

Inanna · hoher Sopran - Seele · hoher Sopran - Tammu · Tenor - Priesterkönig (zugleich der Tod) · Bass-Bariton - Euphrat · dramatischer Mezzosopran - Skorpionmensch · Countertenor - Ezechiel · Sprecher - Ein Schreiber · Bass - Ein Bote/Ein Kind · Knabensopran - 1. Pförtner zur Unterwelt · Bariton - 2. Pförtner zur Unterwelt · Bass - Priester · Tenor - Septette (Planeten, Genital, Regenbogenfarben) - jüdische und babylonische Chöre - 2 Kinder

More Information

Title:

Babylon

Opera in seven scenes

Libretto by Peter Sloterdijk

Language:

German

Edition:

Performance material

Publisher/Label:

Schott Music

Year of composition:

2011 - 2012 (2018)

Duration:

130 ′

World Premiere:

October 27, 2012 · München (D)
Nationaltheater
Anna Prohaska, Inanna; Jussi Myllys,Tammu; Claron McFadden, Seele; Willard White, Priesterkönig; Gabriele Schnaut, Euphrat; Kai Wessel, Skorpionmensch; August Zirner, Ezechiel · Conductor: Kent Nagano · Choir director: Sören Eckhoff
Original staging: Carlus Padrissa – La Fura dels Baus · Costumes: Chu Uroz · Set design: Roland Olbeter
Organizer: Bayerische Staatsoper
(scenic)

March 9, 2019 · Berlin (D)
Staatsoper Unter den Linden
Mojca Erdmann, Die Seele; Charles Workman, Tammu; Susanne Elmark, Inanna; John Tomlinson, Der Priesterkönig; Marina Prudenskaya, Der Euphrat; Andrew Watts, der Skorpionmensch; Florian Hoffmann, Ein Priester; Otto Katzameier, Der Tod · Conductor: Christopher Ward · Choir director: Martin Wright
Original staging: Andreas Kriegenburg · Costumes: Tanja Hofmann · Set design: Harald Thor · Choreography: Zenta Haerter
(scenic)
World Premiere (Revision)

Commissioned work :

Auftragswerk der Bayerischen Staatsoper. Auftrag über die revidierte Fassung von der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin