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COLLECTION BBVA FOUNDATION ‐ NEOS

Cristóbal Halffter LÁZARO Opera in one act On texts by Juan Carlos Marset Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel Georg Fritzsch, Musical Director Alexander Schulin, Stage Director Satefanie Pasterkamp, Scenery & Costumes Joscha Schaback, Dramaturge

PLOT OF THE OPERA

Synopsis

The guards of the Sanhedrin are hunting for Lazarus, after Jesus of Nazareth’s arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Lazarus flees to his home, where he lives with his sisters Martha and Mary, before finally taking refuge in his tomb. There, in dreams, he relives his own past death and encounters Jesus’ four most trusted disciples (Simon, Andrew, John and Jacob) and Judas. On waking from his sleep, Lazarus returns to his home. A meeting is taking place between the four disciples, his sisters and Judas, who attempts to excuse his treachery and convince the others to follow his plans. Judas fails in his endeavour, and Lazarus decides to give himself up to the guards and die once more, only this time in a fully aware state.

The Story So Far

Jesus of Nazareth has been taken prisoner, and his disciples have dispersed in panic. Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, has betrayed the Master to the Jerusalem authorities. The Sanhedrin priests have long been eager to lay hands on the Galilean, whose teachings they see as a threat to the established social and political order. More and more people have become followers of Jesus, after the miracle of the raising of Lazarus, a rich merchant from Bethany (a village near Jerusalem). Jesus had come to the village, rolled away the stone from his tomb and brought Lazarus back from the dead. Although Lazarus was simply a friend of the Master’s and had only sympathized with his teachings (he was not an active member of the new movement itself), in the eyes of the High Priests his resurrection made him an accomplice of the Nazarene, who would have to be brought to justice.

PRELUDE ∙ THE ARREST

1 SCENE I ∙ THE NIGHT IN GETHSEMANE

Somewhere in the Garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the Mount of Olives, just a few hours after the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples.

The guards of the Sanhedrin control the road between Jerusalem and Bethany. They recognize Lazarus, whom they have been searching for on account of the scandal of his “resurrection”. Lazarus manages to escape. Judas is furious to hear that Malchus, the head of the guards, has also ordered Lazarus’ arrest. Malchus tells him that these are his instructions from the Sanhedrin, despite Judas’ pact with the authorities that they would seize only Jesus and let his disciples and followers go unharmed.

INTERLUDE I ∙ THE ROAD TO BETHANY

SCENE II ∙ REFUGE IN BETHANY

The home of Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary, in Bethany

Martha and Mary, Lazarus’ sisters, tend the wounds he suffered while making his escape from the guards. Lazarus tells his sisters that Judas has betrayed them, that the Master has been taken prisoner and the disciples have fled to safety. To avoid being found at home, Lazarus hurries to his tomb and hides himself away, while his sisters swear to stand united, even in the face of death.

INTERLUDE II ∙ THE PATH TO THE CRYPT

SCENE III ∙ LAZARUS’ DREAM

The tomb where Lazarus was buried and restored to life by the power of Jesus

Lazarus falls asleep. In a dream, he sees himself dead in the arms of his sisters who, in the midst of their sorrow, are astounded to see a second, living Lazarus appear before them. “Are you not dead”, they ask, and he replies: “I am still dead”. The dream continues with Lazarus approaching Simon and Andrew, and John and Jacob (the two pairs of brothers) as they lie asleep. When they are joined by Judas, Lazarus urges them vainly to wake up and be gone. Lazarus understands at that point that “we will only awake when we all dream the same dream”.

INTERLUDE III ∙ LAZARUS’ AWAKENING

SCENE IV ∙ DAYBREAK IN BETHANY

The house of Lazarus

Judas approaches the apostles Simon, Andrew and Jacob, who rebuke him bitterly. Martha is the only one to defend the traitor. Judas admits his guilt but is convinced that – even in

2 doing wrong – he has followed the Master’s will. Finally, he warns Simon insistently of his responsibility as the founder‐to‐be of the New Jerusalem.

John is the only disciple to have stayed by Jesus’ side from the time of his arrest until he was brought to trial before the Sanhedrin. He tells the company that the court will petition the imperial legate for his death. Martha again speaks up for Judas, but learns that her sister Mary has always loved the traitor and will go on loving him. In his last exchange with Lazarus, Judas prophesizes that the disciples will all suffer martyrdom on the way to building the New Jerusalem.

INTERLUDE IV ∙ THE NIGHT AT MIDDAY

SCENE V ∙ THE EXILE

Lazarus’ house / his tomb

Mary, John and Jacob set off for Jerusalem in order to be with Jesus in his final hours. John sends Andrew and Jacob to gather the disciples from their various hiding places. Lazarus asks them to forgive those who have betrayed them, and those who pursue them, “although they have no wish to repent, and neither can nor know not how”. Finally, Lazarus enters the crypt to await the Sanhedrin guards, who are coming to apprehend him. He has made the irrevocable decision: “I wish only to die again, but this time awake”.

Joscha Schaback / Juan Carlos Marset Translation from the Spanish: Karen Welch

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