Sonntag aus LICHT

(1998 -2003)

Opera with five scenes and a farewell

1st Scene: Lichter-Wasser / Lights - Waters / SONNTAGs GRUSS 1998/99 No.75

- Soprano, Tenor, synthesizer player and orchestra

(was premiered in Donaueschingen, Germany, on 16th October 1999)

2nd Scene: Engel-Prozessionen / Angel Processions 2000 No.76

- Mixed Choir singing in 7 languages:

English, German, Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, Swahili, and Chinese.

 

(was premiered November 9th 2002 at the Concertgebouw: Amsterdam)

 

 

3rd scene: Licht-Bilder / Light Pictures 2002 No.77

for basset-horn, flute with ring modulation, tenor, trumpet with ring modulation, synthesizer

(was premiered on October 17th 2004 at the Donaueschingen Music Festival, Germany)

4th scene: Dufte-Zeichen / Scents - Signs 2002 No.78

- for 7 singers, boy treble and synthesizer player:

coloratura soprano - dressed in green, soprano - dressed in green, alto - dressed in gold,

counter tenor - dressed in blue, tenor - dressed in red, baritone - dressed in orange,

bass - dressed in blue/black, boy soprano - dressed in white, and synthesizer player - unseen

Seven singers enter the hall and take their places on podiums lit with seven colours. In turn, the Licht Symbol for each day of the week is revealed behind each podium and the associated fragrance released to the audience, The seven singers explain each symbol through their singing, as solos, duos or as a trio, according to the list below, accompanied by electronic music from the synthesizer .The coloured light illuminating each podium also colours each cloud of scent as it rises in front of each podium.

After the Sunday Symbol has been explained all seven fragrances are released together and an alto voice is heard singing from the auditorium. The six visible soloists leave the stage in a great hurry calling for Eva. The audience hears their voices turbulently crying many names for Eva , such as "Santa Madonna", "Sonntagskind", "Isis", "Mondeva" and "Seniora Mystica".... until the Alto silences them with the cry of "Mich-a-el!"

The soloists make their way slowly back to the central Sunday podium with the exalted Alto singer among them, in the manner of a religious procession honouring the Virgin Mary.

The Alto sings for the youth "Knabe"... culminating in the words which translate as "Come Michael ,Heaven's Child!"

At this point a boy treble seated the auditorium replies and makes his way to her at the Sunday podium. Their duet reveals the boy as "Christ-Michael" and the alto as "Eva-Maria". They leave the stage behind the Sunday podium and the other soloists exit as the lights and the electronic music fade.

 

(Was premiered at Perner Insel, Hallein: Austria as part of Salzburger Festspiele, August 29th 2003)

 

5th Scene: Hoch-Zeiten / Marriages (High Times) 2001/2002 No.79

- 5 choral groups and 5 orchestral groups performing simultaneously and synchronously in two separate auditoriums.

(was premiered January 28th 2003 at Festival de Musica de Canarias: Tenerife)

SONNTAGS ABSCHIED 2001/2003 No.80

- 5 synthesisers

World Premiere is Sunday 1st August 2004 Kuerten, Germany

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LUZIFERIUM

A mysterious extra scene has been referred to by Stockhausen, solely for the character of Luzifer, who does not appear in Sonntag. The Luziferium is conceived to be performed elsewhere, but simultaneously to a performance of Sonntag aus Licht, dramatising the imprisonment of the Luzifer character. It is thought that this music has not yet been composed, although it has been planned in detail. In the catalogue entry for Sonntag aus Licht `(work no. 75-80: 1998-2003) this Luziferium is not mentioned.

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