Gilgamesh (opera)
Encyclopedia
Gilgamesh is an opera
in three acts by Rudolf Brucci
. The libretto
by Arsenije Arsa Milošević is based on the Sumer
ian Epic of Gilgamesh
. It premiered on November 2, 1986 Serbian National Theatre in Novi Sad
.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in three acts by Rudolf Brucci
Rudolf Brucci
Rudolf Brucci , was a composer of Croatian and Italian origin, born in Zagreb. He was married to the famous Yugoslavian opera singer, Olga Brucci....
. The libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Arsenije Arsa Milošević is based on the Sumer
Sumer
Sumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
ian Epic of Gilgamesh
Epic of Gilgamesh
Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literature. Scholars believe that it originated as a series of Sumerian legends and poems about the protagonist of the story, Gilgamesh king of Uruk, which were fashioned into a longer Akkadian epic much...
. It premiered on November 2, 1986 Serbian National Theatre in Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
.
Roles
- GilgameshGilgameshGilgamesh was the fifth king of Uruk, modern day Iraq , placing his reign ca. 2500 BC. According to the Sumerian king list he reigned for 126 years. In the Tummal Inscription, Gilgamesh, and his son Urlugal, rebuilt the sanctuary of the goddess Ninlil, in Tummal, a sacred quarter in her city of...
, a Sumerian king – baritoneBaritoneBaritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... - EnkiduEnkiduEnkidu is a central figure in the Ancient Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh. Enkidu was first created by Anu, the sky god, to rid Gilgamesh of his arrogance. In the story he is a wild-man raised by animals and ignorant of human society until he is bedded by Shamhat...
, his friend and brother – tenorTenorThe tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... - Priestess at the temple of IshtarIshtarIshtar is the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex. She is the counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to the cognate north-west Semitic goddess Astarte.-Characteristics:...
– sopranoSopranoA soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... - Rishat, Gilgamesh's mother – mezzo-sopranoMezzo-sopranoA mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
- IshtarIshtarIshtar is the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex. She is the counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to the cognate north-west Semitic goddess Astarte.-Characteristics:...
, Sumerian goddess of love and fertility – mezzo-soprano - Siduri Sabitu, guardian of entrance to the Garden of Gods – soprano
- AruruNinhursagIn Sumerian mythology, Ninhursag or Ninkharsag was the earth and mother goddess, one of the seven great deities of Sumer. She is principally a fertility goddess. Temple hymn sources identify her as the 'true and great lady of heaven' and kings of Sumer were 'nourished by Ninhursag's milk'...
, Sumerian goddess of creation – soprano - Utnapishtim, Gilgamesh's ancestor – bassBass (voice type)A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
- Utnapishtim's wife – mezzo-soprano
- Hunter / Ur-Shanabi / Utnapishtim's Sailor – tenor
- First priest – tenor
- Second priest – bass
- AnuAnuIn Sumerian mythology, Anu was a sky-god, the god of heaven, lord of constellations, king of gods, Consort of Antu, spirits and demons, and dwelt in the highest heavenly regions. It was believed that he had the power to judge those who had committed crimes, and that he had created the stars as...
, sky god / Ea, god of water and wisdom / ShamashShamashShamash was a native Mesopotamian deity and the sun god in the Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian pantheons. Shamash was the god of justice in Babylonia and Assyria, corresponding to Sumerian Utu...
, Sun god – bass - Scorpion Man – male voice (speaking role)
- Scorpion Woman – female voice (speaking role)
- HumbabaHumbabaIn Akkadian mythology Humbaba or Huwawa , also Humbaba the Terrible was a monstrous giant of immemorial age raised by Utu, the Sun...
, a demon – robot - Snake – dancer
- People of UrukUrukUruk was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates river, on the ancient dry former channel of the Euphrates River, some 30 km east of modern As-Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Uruk gave its name to the Uruk...
, Soldiers, Guard, Priests, Priestesses, virgins in service of Ishtar, dancers
Sources
- Basso, Alberto (1996). Musica in scena: storia dello spettacolo musicale, Volume 3, p. 457. UTET. ISBN 8802049394
- Radović, Branka (2005). "Two orients in Rudolf Bruci's opera Gilgamesh". Muzikologija, Issue 5, pp. 153-165 (in Serbian with English summary)
- Ziolkowski, Eric (September 2007). "An ancient newcomer to modern culture". World Literature Today
External links
- Libretto of Gilgamesh in Serbian at sr.wikibooks.org