The Princess of the Stars
Encyclopedia
The Princess of the Stars is an experimental opera or music drama by the Canadian composer
R. Murray Schafer
. The opera
is notable because it must be performed around and on a lake, preferably as far from civilization as possible. The opera was premiered on a small lake outside Toronto
in 1981 by New Music Concerts and again in 1985 for the Banff School of Fine Arts summer festival on a more remote lake in Banff National Park
. The performance was attended by over five thousand people http://www.patria.org/pdp/CHAOS/POS/POSOUT.HTM. Other performances occurred at Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve, Ontario in September 1997 and August/September 2007 http://www.patria.org/.
The Princess of the Stars, which has some basis in Native American mythology
, begins about one hour before dawn; timing is coordinated with early morning events such as birds beginning to sing and the sunrise. The audience
members are situated in a clearing at the water's edge. The conductor, chorus
, instrumentalists and the Princess herself are hidden from view around the edges of the lake. Other main characters and dancers appear in canoe
s on the lake. The work begins with a seven-minute aria
from the unseen Princess (a high Soprano
). The aria
makes use of echoes
across the lake. As this aria ends canoes bearing dancers (The Dawn Birds) and actor
s in brightly colored costumes begin to appear from the far side of the lake. The characters of Wolf, Three-horned Enemy and Sun God are large, 7 to 10 foot high, lavishly decorated puppets mounted on long war canoe
s. Actors hidden within the puppets speak, sing or sprechstimme the characters' parts. (Sun God's entrance is timed with the real sunrise
.) Throughout the work Schafer has written detailed instructions for the performers. All the canoe routes are scripted and the participants chant in fictional languages created by Schafer.
The Princess of the Stars is the Prologue
in a series of twelve theatre pieces entitled Patria
http://www.patria.org/pdp/ORDER/OVERVIEW.HTM (Latin for homeland).
. In the opera, the Sun God’s daughter, the Princess of the Stars, falls to the earth and is captured by Three Horned Enemy, who hides her at the bottom of a lake. Wolf, with the help of the Dawn Birds is determined to find the Princess. After an arduous search, Wolf finds the Princess in the lake and with the help of the Dawn Birds, who sweep the water aside with their wings, Wolf prepares to battle Three Horned Enemy. However, before the fight begins the sun emerges from the horizon and scares the Three Horned Enemy away. Sun God orders Wolf to search the world for the Princess (who has fled) and orders the Dawn Birds to freeze the lake and be silent until the Princess is found.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
R. Murray Schafer
R. Murray Schafer
Raymond Murray Schafer is a Canadian composer, writer, music educator and environmentalist perhaps best known for his World Soundscape Project, concern for acoustic ecology, and his book The Tuning of the World...
. The opera
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...
is notable because it must be performed around and on a lake, preferably as far from civilization as possible. The opera was premiered on a small lake outside Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1981 by New Music Concerts and again in 1985 for the Banff School of Fine Arts summer festival on a more remote lake in Banff National Park
Banff National Park
Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, located 110–180 kilometres west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, encompasses of mountainous terrain, with numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine...
. The performance was attended by over five thousand people http://www.patria.org/pdp/CHAOS/POS/POSOUT.HTM. Other performances occurred at Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve, Ontario in September 1997 and August/September 2007 http://www.patria.org/.
The Princess of the Stars, which has some basis in Native American mythology
Native American mythology
Native American mythology is the body of traditional narratives associated with Native American religion from a mythographical perspective. Native American belief systems include many sacred narratives. Such spiritual stories are deeply based in Nature and are rich with the symbolism of seasons,...
, begins about one hour before dawn; timing is coordinated with early morning events such as birds beginning to sing and the sunrise. The audience
Audience
An audience is a group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art, literature , theatre, music or academics in any medium...
members are situated in a clearing at the water's edge. The conductor, chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, instrumentalists and the Princess herself are hidden from view around the edges of the lake. Other main characters and dancers appear in canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s on the lake. The work begins with a seven-minute aria
Aria
An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
from the unseen Princess (a high Soprano
Soprano
A 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...
). The aria
Aria
An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
makes use of echoes
Echo (phenomenon)
In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound, arriving at the listener some time after the direct sound. Typical examples are the echo produced by the bottom of a well, by a building, or by the walls of an enclosed room and an empty room. A true echo is a single...
across the lake. As this aria ends canoes bearing dancers (The Dawn Birds) and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
s in brightly colored costumes begin to appear from the far side of the lake. The characters of Wolf, Three-horned Enemy and Sun God are large, 7 to 10 foot high, lavishly decorated puppets mounted on long war canoe
War Canoe
A war canoe is a watercraft of the canoe type designed and outfitted for warfare, and which is found in various forms in many world cultures. In modern times, such designs have become adapted as a sport, and "war canoe" can mean a type of flatwater racing canoe.-War canoes as sport:War canoe is...
s. Actors hidden within the puppets speak, sing or sprechstimme the characters' parts. (Sun God's entrance is timed with the real sunrise
Sunrise
Sunrise is the instant at which the upper edge of the Sun appears above the horizon in the east. Sunrise should not be confused with dawn, which is the point at which the sky begins to lighten, some time before the sun itself appears, ending twilight...
.) Throughout the work Schafer has written detailed instructions for the performers. All the canoe routes are scripted and the participants chant in fictional languages created by Schafer.
The Princess of the Stars is the Prologue
Prologue
A prologue is an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one, and other miscellaneous information. The Greek prologos included the modern meaning of prologue, but was of wider significance...
in a series of twelve theatre pieces entitled Patria
Patria
Patria may refer to:* Homeland * Patria, a cycle of theatrical works by composer R. Murray Schafer* Patria AMV * Patria , of Finland...
http://www.patria.org/pdp/ORDER/OVERVIEW.HTM (Latin for homeland).
Story
The story line of The Princess of the Stars is based, in part, on traditional tales told by various northeastern North American native peoplesAnishinaabe
Anishinaabe or Anishinabe—or more properly Anishinaabeg or Anishinabek, which is the plural form of the word—is the autonym often used by the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Algonquin peoples. They all speak closely related Anishinaabemowin/Anishinaabe languages, of the Algonquian language family.The meaning...
. In the opera, the Sun God’s daughter, the Princess of the Stars, falls to the earth and is captured by Three Horned Enemy, who hides her at the bottom of a lake. Wolf, with the help of the Dawn Birds is determined to find the Princess. After an arduous search, Wolf finds the Princess in the lake and with the help of the Dawn Birds, who sweep the water aside with their wings, Wolf prepares to battle Three Horned Enemy. However, before the fight begins the sun emerges from the horizon and scares the Three Horned Enemy away. Sun God orders Wolf to search the world for the Princess (who has fled) and orders the Dawn Birds to freeze the lake and be silent until the Princess is found.
Further reading
- Music Since 1945 by Elliot Schwartz and Daniel Godfrey (1993) (ISBN 0-02-873040-2)
- Patria: The Complete Cycle by R. Murray Schafer http://www.patria.org/arcana/arcbooks.html#tc