Black Feather Rising (2008) 90'

- Music Theatre for 2 Singers and 6 Instrumentalists -

Libretto by David Rudkin

Inspired by the collection of folkloric tales 'Healers on the Mountain' by Teresa Pijoan

Soloist(s): Soprano and Baritone

Orchestration: Flute, Clarinet, Percussion, Harp, Violin dbl. Viola, Cello

First performance

October 24th 2008 at De Toneelschuur - Haarlem (NL), followed by a tour throughout the Netherlands. Performances abroad are currently subject to negotiations. Contact the Composer.

NEW!!!! WATCH THE TRAILER on the Home Page MADE BY OPERA NU

Commissioned by STICHTING OCTOPUS, The Netherlands

PERFORMERS AND PRODUCTION TEAM

Charlotte Riedijk soprano
Alistair Shelton-Smith baritone
Jana Machalett/Marieke Franssen
 flute/piccolo/alto flute
Lars wouters van den Oudenweijer clarinet/bass clarinet/contrabass clarinet
Godelieve Schrama harp
Wim Vos percussion
Marijke van Kooten violin/viola
Doris Hochscheid violoncello
   
Jos van Kan director
Lieke van Hoogenhuyze assistant
Berthe Spoelstra dramaturgy
Michiel Voet scenery
Dorien de Jonge		 costumes
Desiree van Gelderen light design
Sepp Grotenhuis correpetitor
Jonathan Berman rehearsal coach
Holger Breek technician
Michel Weekhout stage management
Kees Kaya production
Annemarie Reitsma
 sales

     

Opera Nu
 
November Music

 

Above: Rehearsal of the Raven Caller Aria with Alistair Shelton-Smith

 

Above: Interview with Alistair Shelton-Smith and Param Vir


Above: This interview with Charlotte Riedijk (Soprano) was recorded at the composer's studio during a tryout of West-Wind-Rising's arias on 1st September 2008, with the composer at the piano.

 


BRIEF SYNOPSIS

At a tribal gathering, a young man and young woman see each other, and fall in love.  But she, West-Wind-Rising, is married with a child.  He, Raven Caller, is in subjection to a witch who, in her jealous fury, punishes him with the loss of his memory and magical powers.  But in his unconscious, his song of love sings on.  West-Wind-Rising, guided by it, sets out on a difficult and dangerous journey to find him.  Her way brings her toward the mysterious Black Feather Mountain, from where his song seems to be coming.  As she clambers down a sheer rock-face, a raven attacks her, and she falls.  Raven Caller finds her broken body almost lifeless.  Once, with his healing powers, he could have restored her.  Now he does not even recognize her; he cannot remember even his own name . . . In one continuous scene, the drama shows how they re-awaken each to the other, and by the miracle of love their lives and powers are restored.

The story is developed from a Native American legend, and is here re-worked as an inner dramatic journey for its two main characters.  Black Feather Mountain is music theatre with a quality of myth, inhabiting an elemental world of forest, rock, wind and birds, where human senses are still tuned in to the voices and wisdom of Nature around them, and song is everywhere.   The continuous action is an ascending curve of raw human emotion, from yearning, up through pain, terror, desolation, anger, to a climax of wonder and joy.   In a contemporary culture of noise, activity and ‘information’, it re-asserts the primacy of each individual human quest, the search within.


LIBRETTO EXTRACT FROM THE OPENING:

          Along a high rocky edge a young woman searches in distress for a way down.  Her hair is roughly lopped, her clothing ripped, her hands arms face feet torn and bleeding.  A pouch hangs by a thong about her neck.

 

She:     No way down.

From this high rock, 

no path.

All my journey:

here it ends.

 

She sinks aside, dispirited.

 

Each step of my way the earth has fought me.

Turn back! the forest said.

Its branches sprang in my face:

Turn back, turn back!

Its thickets ripped my hands and arms:

Back to your people and your village,

to your child . . . 

Its thorns clawed at my hair:

How can you leave your husband and your child . . .  

A woman does not do this.

I hagged my hair off to tear free of the thorns.

I do this.

I, West-Wind-Rising, I do this.

I go to find a man I do not know.  

All of him I know 

is his song the night wind brings me . . . 

But what way forward to him now? . . . 

 

She searches;  in vain . . .    Apart on the space, an obscure form like a mound of rags.  From it, a man’s voice begins to sing: 

 

He:     Lady, hear me . . .   

Wherever you are, 

hear me where I lie sleeping . . .   

 

She:     All next day long, my journey said Go back!

High desert of rock . . . 

upward . . .  

unending:

Go back!  Go back!

Scorch of the Sun,

the searing wind:

Go back to your husband and your baby!

The sharp rock tore at my feet:

Back to your baby . . .   Back to your baby . . . 

I fought the wind and the Sun and the knives of rock.

I come to find a man I do not know.

All I have of him

is in this pouch I carry:

a string of shells 

one day a raven brought me . . . 

a raven brought me . . .  

as I looked out from my husband’s door 

across the world in yearning.

A string of shells 

from around the neck of a man I do not know.  

Only the once I ever saw him.  

Across that wedding dance he looked at me.

Our eyes met.

He smiled. 

I knew.  

 

In the mound of rags a restlessness, a struggling;  again the man’s voice sings:

 

He:     Lady hear me.  

Only the once I ever saw you.

Across that wedding dance you looked at me.

You smiled.  

I knew.  


[Libretto Copyright © David Rudkin, 2007. Used by permission.] 

 

tour schedule black feather rising

 
performances in 2008 (Netherlands)
 
 

 

24 October 2008 20:30 hrs
De Toneelschuur (première) Haarlem
www.toneelschuur.nl 023-5173910
   
25 October 2008 20:30 hrs
De Toneelschuur Haarlem
www.toneelschuur.nl		 023-5173910
   
26 October 2008 (matinee) 14:30 hrs
De Meervaart Amsterdam
www.meervaart.nl 020-4107777
   
1 November 2008 20:15 hrs
Het Klooster Woerden
www.kloosterwoerden.nl 0348-423066
   
4 november 2008 20:30 hrs
Goudse Schouwburg Gouda
www.goudseschouwburg.nl 0182-513750
   
15 November 2008 20:00 hrs
Verkadefabriek Den Bosch
www.verkadefabriek.nl 073-6818160
www.novembermusic.net  
   
21 November 2008 20:30 hrs
Rotterdamse Schouwburg Rotterdam
www.rotterdamseschouwburg.nl 010-4118110
   
22 November 2008 20:30 hrs
Schouwburg Arnhem
www.schouwburg-arnhem.nl 026-4437343
   
Performances in 2009 (Netherlands)  
   
24 April 2009 20:15 hrs
De Regentes The Hague
www.deregentes.nl 070-3637798
   
25 April 2009 20:15 hrs
Odeon Zwolle
www.odeondespiegel.nl 038-4288288

 

Links:
David Rudkin
Godelieve Schrama 

Language: English

For more information, please contact the composer or Stichting Octopus: stichting.octopus@xs4all.nl

See also: