Babylon (opera)
| Work data | |
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| Title: | Babylon |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Jörg Widmann |
| Libretto : | Peter Sloterdijk |
| Premiere: | October 27, 2012 |
| Place of premiere: | Munich |
| Playing time: | approx. 130 minutes |
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Babylon is an opera in seven pictures by Jörg Widmann , which was premiered in 2012 at the Bavarian State Opera and in a revised version in 2019 at the Berlin State Opera Unter den Linden . The libretto in German comes from Peter Sloterdijk . The polystylistically composed opera deals with the Babylonian exile .
Background and performance history
The stage work was composed between 2011 and 2012 by Jörg Widmann on behalf of the Bavarian State Opera . The libretto was written by the philosopher Peter Sloterdijk .
The world premiere took place on October 27, 2012, conducted by Kent Nagano , in the National Theater in Munich . The play was staged by Carlus Padrissa.
A revised version of the piece premiered on March 9, 2019 in the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin. The production by Andreas Kriegenburg was conducted by Christopher Ward after Daniel Barenboim was unable to take over the conducting as planned for health reasons.
action
The action takes place in Babylonian exile . The focus is on conflicts that result from the love of the Jewish exile Tammu for Inanna, the priestess in the temple of free love.
prolog
“In front of the relics of the walls of a devastated city”, the Scorpio man curses urban civilization.
First picture
“Within the walls of Babylon”. In his Babylonian exile, Tammu is torn between the soul and Inanna he desires. The priestess of the goddess of love gives him a drug.
Second picture
"Flood and horror". Tammu dreams of the flood, during which the Euphrates extinguished almost all life. To prevent further catastrophes, the Priest-King decides that a human sacrifice must be made every year .
Third picture
"The New Year Festival". The Babylonians celebrate an excessive New Year festival, which is interrupted by the Jewish community of Babylon. Tammu experiences another identity conflict.
Fourth picture
"On the waters of Babylon". Ezekiel has the scribe write down his inspirations, which deal with the Flood and which Tammu claims that Ezekiel took over the story from the Babylonians. He has it written down that Noah sacrificed animals, not his son, as a thank you that he survived. A messenger appears and reveals that Tammu, who is then captured, is to be sacrificed.
Fifth picture
"The Festival of Sacrifice". Tammu is sacrificed by the Priest-King after a penance ritual, whereupon the Jewish community begins to revolt and curse Babylon.
Sixth picture
"Inanna in the underworld". Ianna, shocked by the sacrifice of Tammu, descends into the underworld, where she walks through the seven gates of hell and convinces Death to surrender Tammu.
Seventh picture
"The new rainbow". Tammu and Ianna are back in Babylon. A new connection is created between heaven and earth, in which each god is dedicated a day in the seven-day week. A child admonishes people to take responsibility themselves and not to trust that a god or gods could save them from renewed disasters.
epilogue
"The constellation of Scorpio". The Scorpio Mesh turns its sting on itself and two children say a rhyme.
reception
The Munich premiere received mixed reviews. While Sloterdijk's Liberetto was sometimes criticized as overloaded and overly criticized in comparison to the music, other critics attested the music's complexity with a harmoniously fitting libretto.
The reviews of the revised version from 2019 were also mixed. While the orchestra and soloists were able to convince, the plot was often described as not stringent, weak and sometimes as unimportant.
Individual evidence
- ^ A b c Süddeutsche Zeitung: Babylon - first performance in the Bavarian State Opera. October 28, 2012, accessed June 21, 2020 .
- ↑ Press Releases | State Opera Berlin. Retrieved June 21, 2020 .
- ↑ a b State Opera Unter den Linden (ed.): Babylon . Booklet accompanying the opera production. 2019, p. 4 .
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Widmann: Babylon . Score. Schott Music, 2019.
- ↑ State Opera Unter den Linden (ed.): Babylon . Booklet accompanying the opera production. 2019, p. 4th f .
- ↑ a b State Opera Unter den Linden (ed.): Babylon . Booklet accompanying the opera production. 2019, p. 5 .
- ↑ a b c State Opera Unter den Linden (ed.): Babylon . Booklet accompanying the opera production. 2019, p. 6 .
- ↑ State Opera Unter den Linden (ed.): Babylon . Booklet accompanying the opera production. 2019, p. 7 .
- ^ Eleonore Büning: Opera "Babylon" in Munich: Fat times in old cities . In: faz.net . October 29, 2012, ISSN 0174-4909 ( faz.net [accessed June 21, 2020]).
- ↑ a b Manuel Brug: Sloterdijk goes Opera: The "Great Whore" from the megacity . In: The world . October 28, 2012 ( welt.de [accessed June 21, 2020]).
- ↑ Süddeutsche Zeitung: Völker, live dangerously! Retrieved June 21, 2020 .
- ^ Every seven years: "Babylon" premiere by Jörg Widmann: New version at the State Opera Unter den Linden | nmz - new music newspaper. Retrieved June 21, 2020 .
- ↑ a b Udo Badelt: The city needs an update. tagesspiegel.de, March 11, 2019, accessed June 21, 2020 .
- ^ Eleonore Büning: Opera "Babylon": Jörg Widmanns and Peter Sloterdijks new end . In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung . ( nzz.ch [accessed June 21, 2020]).
- ↑ a b c Bayerischer Rundfunk: Criticism - Jörg Widmann's "Babylon" at the Berlin State Opera: Tough Myths Mishmash | BR classic. March 10, 2019, accessed June 21, 2020 .