Study Guide for Sumeida's Song, Version 2.Pub
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Pittsburgh Opera The Inspiration for Sumeida’s Song by Jill Leahy Education thanks our Tawf īq al-Ḥak īm, (b. Oct. 9, 1898, Alexandria, Egypt – d. July 26, 1987, Cairo), generous supporters: is considered to be the founder of contemporary Egyptian drama and a leading figure in modern Arabic literature. His American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. wealthy family wanted him to become a lawyer, but after Bayer USA Foundation Sumeida’s Song traveling to Paris to continue his legal studies, he fell in love The Frick Fund of the Buhl nson-Davies, with Western theater. On his return to Egypt, he worked in Foundation several government positions, but he eventually resigned The Jack Buncher Foundation and spent all his time writing, eventually writing more than Dominion Foundation 50 plays. Eat ‘n Park Hospitality Group, Inc. He became famous ESB Bank as a dramatist with First Commonwealth Ahl al-kahf (1933; The Financial Corporation al-Hakim Ismail Tawfiq by People of the Cave ), The Grable Foundation which on the surface The Hearst Foundation Rachel Calloway andDan Kempson thein 2009 World Premiere Production of Jill Steinberg) (Photo by http://mohammedfairouz.com/sumeidas-song-2009/ appeared to be based Hefren-Tillotson, Inc. on the ancient legend Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Opera Vancouver at Tim Matheson by Photo Production The High Cost of Family Honor by Jill Leahy of the Seven Sleepers The Huntington National Bank Sumeida’s Song , a chamber opera in three scenes, was written in 2009 and of Ephesus, but “was Intermediate Unit #1, Pennsylvania had its first fully-staged production as the opening event of the first actually a study of the Department of Education "Prototype: Opera/Theater/Now" festival in New York in January 2013. For human struggle Levin Furniture el-Mawt, Ughneyyet the libretto, Mohammed Fairouz, a classically-trained Arab-American against time.” Martha Mack Lewis Foundation composer, adapted the translation, by Denys Johnson-Davies, of the well- People’s Natural Gas known Arab play, Song of Death, by the Egyptian writer Tawfiq al-Hakim. Although influenced Reed Smith LLP Music by Mohammed Fairouz The opera highlights universal themes: family conflict, tradition versus by European The Techs - MetalTech modernity, and revenge versus forgiveness. The work also explores the idea playwrights like Ibsen Triangle Tech Group play the of of revenge killing as a way to restore a family’s honor—a mother expects her and Shaw, Tawfiq al- Libretto adapted from the translation, by Denys Joh by Denys translation, from the adapted Libretto United States Steel Corporation Song Sumeida’s son to avenge his father’s murder. Hakim incorporated his Egyptian “You are a fountain whose water While honor killings perspective in plays: sprinkles a picture-perfect most often occur in “psychological issues paradise in which pomegranates paternalistic societies, such as personal are planted, bunches of grapes against women who identity, relations and attitudes towards the West, the conflict dangle, and flowers and sweet have “shamed” their family by breaking a between the spiritual East and the material West.” In the herbs dance with myrrh, aloes, Mohammed Fairouz in Arabic (read right to left) book An Introduction to Arabic Literature, the author Roger spikenard, and every tree used for prescribed code of Allen wrote: “The performances were not a success; for one incense.” sexual behavior, notions of honor and shame to justify killing are not unique Excerpt from “The Wisdom of Solomon” by Tawfiq Al-Hakim, to any one culture or religion. Modern audiences may view this as an thing, audiences seemed unimpressed by a performance in translated by W.M. Hutchins, which the action on stage was so limited in comparison with published by Three Continents Press, Washington, D.C. Eastern, Arab, or even Muslim cultural issue, but it is important to the more popular types of drama.” It was problematic in the understand that the teachings of the Quran and Islamic Law strictly forbid realm of both production and reception that led Tawfiq al- For more information on honor killing. In Indonesia, believed to be the country with the largest Muslim Hakim to use some of his play-prefaces in order to develop Pittsburgh Opera's education population, honor killings are unknown. the notion of his plays as ' théâtre des idées ', works for programs, please contact: However, look at our Western history: dueling was accepted as a way to reading rather than performance. Marilyn Michalka Egan, Ph.D. defend masculine honor and even continued into the late 1800s in Canada. Nevertheless, in 1945 he was invited to write several short Director of Education Cultures of honor appeared among Bedouins, Scottish and English [email protected] herdsmen of the Border country, and others with little allegiance to a national plays to be published in the form of newspaper articles. The 412-281-0912 ext 242 most memorable of these plays is Ughniyyet al-mawt (Song government; cultures of honor appeared among cowboys, frontiersmen, and of Death ), the one-act play that was the inspiration of Pittsburgh Opera ranchers of the American West, where official law enforcement was often out Sumeida’s Song. 2425 Liberty Avenue of reach. Even in today’s news, there are shootings among gang members Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Study Guide to the Opera for “dissing” (disrespecting) one of their members, making Alwan’s soaring Sources: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc ., Tore Kjeilen/LexicOrient, teachmideast.org www.pittsburghopera.org statement “I won’t kill” all the more memorable and honorable . Meet the Prolific Composer Sumeida’s Song Synopsis Characters by Jill Leahy Setting: A peasant house in a peasant village in Upper Egypt, Mohammed (“Momo”) Fairouz, born in 1985, is one of during the early 20th century of the Opera the most frequently performed, commissioned, and (All members of the Azizi family) recorded composers of his generation. Hailed by The SCENE I Asakir and Mabrouka, two Upper-Egyptian New York Times as “an important new artistic voice” peasant women, are sitting in silence and listening for a Asakir [ah-SAH-keer] mezzo-soprano and by BBC World News as “one of the most talented train's whistle. The two women are awaiting the arrival of An Egyptian peasant, Alwan’s composers of his generation,” Fairouz integrates Asakir's son, who has been away for 17 years. Asakir tells mother, who has mourned her Middle-Eastern modes into Western structures, to Mabrouka that she hopes that the identity of her son has murdered husband for 17 years deeply expressive effect. His large-scale works, not been revealed to the rest of the village people. including four symphonies and an opera, engage major Mabrouka assures her sister that the village has been led Mabrouka [ma-BROO-kah] soprano geopolitical and philosophical themes with persuasive to believe that Alwan drowned in the water-well when he Sister of Asakir, Sumeida’s mother craft and a marked seriousness of purpose. His most was a child of two years. recent symphony, In the Shadow of No Towers for wind Alwan [AL-wahn] baritone ensemble, was described by Steve Smith of The New Asakir proclaims to Mabrouka that soon the whole village Asakir’s educated son, who left the will learn that her son, the son of her murdered husband, York Times as “technically impressive, consistently village at the age of two, and has imaginative, and in its finest stretches, deeply moving.” is still alive and that the murderer of his father and the rest since attended Azhar University and of the Tahawis—a clan with whom they have an ancient His solo and chamber music attains an “intoxicating become a Sheikh Sumeida’s Song Synopsis (cont.) intimacy,” according to New York’s WQXR. blood feud—should fear his vengeance. She reveals that she had instructed her nephew, Mabrouka's son Sumeida, Sumeida [soo-MAY-dah] tenor When he asks what she wants from Fairouz’s cosmopolitan outlook reflects his transatlantic who has been sent to fetch Alwan from the station, to sing Mabrouka’s son, Alwan’s cousin, him, she tells him to take the knife and upbringing and extensive travels. His catalog as a sign that his cousin has come. Slightly delayed after who is ultimately charged with plunge it into the chest of her son encompasses virtually every genre, including opera, the whistle of the departing train, Sumeida's song is heard avenging the family honor Alwan. symphonies, ensemble works, chamber and solo emerging from the distance and heralding the long- pieces, choral settings, and electronic music . Asakir gives Sumeida the knife with awaited arrival of Alwan. Prominent advocates of his instrumental music include resolution and invokes that "may his the Borromeo String Quartet, The Imani Winds, violinist SCENE II Sumeida enters the room announcing his cousin. Alwan enters and is embraced by his blood wash off his father's blood that Rachel Barton Pine, and clarinetist David Krakauer, who mother. He then greets his aunt Mabrouka who tells him that "our hope lies in you" and leaves with has dried on the blade." Sumeida tells all appear on his Naxos portrait disc, Native Informant . Sumeida. Asakir, now alone with her son, quickly dispenses with pleasantries and presents a her that she will hear his voice raised in saddlebag that she has kept for 17 years. She explains to her son that this is the saddlebag in song if Alwan's killing is brought about Described by Gramophone as “a post-millennial which his father's body was brought to her, carried upon his donkey, and presents her son with the and hurries to catch up with his cousin. Schubert, ” Fairouz has composed 13 song cycles and knife from the murder, saying that she has kept it with the blood on it so that it has rusted.