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Synopsis
The piece is based on the earliest surviving illustrated book and sound score, the 8th hour in “The
Book
of the Amduat”. The book is painted on walls in the tombs of the Valley
of the Kings and many papyri. The version adapted is in Tuthmose III’s
tomb, who ruled Egypt from 1485-1431 BC. He is widely thought to be the
Pharaoh of Exodus: if it wasn’t him, it was a close relative. He
co-ruled at first with the female Pharaoh, Hatsepsut, and was great
grandfather to Akhenaten. He built the obelisks known as Cleopatra’s
Needle, one of which is on the Thames in London, and the near East 81st
street in Central Park in New York City. The opera uses David
Warburton’s English translation and Colleen Manassa’s article Sounds of
the Netherworld. Translations of the arias to Italian and insights are
from Rita Lucarelli, professor of Egyptology at the University of
California, Berkley.
Each morning, Sun Ra emerges from a hole in the east and sails on a river through our sky. After he descends,
he continue from west to east on the river through the underworld,
Amudat, to reemerge in the morning. Each night he dies, but is reborn in
the 6th night hour when he unites with Osiris and defeats the serpent,
Apep. During the 8th hour of Sun Ra’s transit through Amduat, he and his
fellow gods on the solar bark are clothed in the city Tebat-Neteru-S
(Sarcophagus of Her Gods). The sounds of Tebat-Neteru-S are described in
the text. The piece takes place during the 8th hour of the night,
“Mistress of deep night”, in the city of the 8th hour, known as
“Sarcophagus of her gods”.
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Title Information
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Approximate Runtime (hh:mm)
1:00
Number of Acts
1
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