Karlheinz Stockhausen - Freitag-Versuchung

Freitag aus Licht - Freitag-Versuchung (Friday Temptation)

Act 1 and 2 of the opera FRIDAY from LIGHT. Freitag-Versuchung is the main body of the opera. There are three layers of music in Freitag. The first layer is entirely abstract ambient electronic music, which plays underneath all of the staged action. The second layer consists of concrete music which is mimed by 12 couples of dancers. The third layer consists of traditional scenic action portrayed and sung by actors.

Below the events of the third layer are described. They occur simultaneously with the events of the second layer, referred to as "sound scenes" by Stockhausen.

Act one

7:29-17.25 Proposal
Eve enters from the left followed by two companions, Elu and Lufa. Ludon enters from the right, and they greet each other. He suggests that Eve should mate with his son Caino. Eve is skeptical, but they agree to meet again to introduce their children to each other.

19:47 Children's orchestra
Eve descends from a mountain with her white children in tow. The children carry instruments with them (violins, flutes, etc.). Elu and Lufa follow behind the children. The children play individual notes and call to each other as they march.

Ludon enters with his black children, who are all carrying African percussion instruments. The children play their instruments and laugh as they march.

Ludon and Eve greet each other once more as the two groups of children face each other. Synthibird appears with a keyboard nearby. The white orchestra plays for the black chorus, who enjoy the music. Eve sings with the choir and conducts them. Elu and Lufa play along from the background, as does Synthibird.

25:40 Children's choir
After a brief pause, the black chorus cheers for the white orchestra and use their instruments to applaud. Synthibird disappears.

Ludon signals the black chorus and they begin to sing and play on their African percussion instruments. Synthibird appears in a new location in a slightly different guise and accompanies them quietly. Ludon sings along and signals to each of the 24 children to perform a solo. Eve and her children are spellbound by the performance and erupt in wild cheers and whistles when it is over. Ludon suggests to Eve that their children should play together, and she agrees.

33:32-38.39 Children's tutti
Eve gives a downbeat for the first bar, which is played only by the white orchestra. Ludon conducts the second bar, which is only played by the black chorus. Eve conducts the third and fourth bars which are played by both the chorus and orchestra. Each section is followed by silence. After the fourth bar, Ludon graciously asks Eve to conduct the ensemble, and he joins the chorus to sing. Elu, Lufa and Synthibird accompany.

The music is performed cheerfully by everyone, and at the end, they all laugh. Eve and her children say goodbye to Ludon and his children, and they exit as they came in. During their departure, the children continue to laugh and play fragments of the music they performed together. The sound of their laughter and music grows softer in the distance.

49:11-56.07 Consent
Ludon enters and waits for Eve who appears mysteriously with Elu and Lufa. Ludon gives Eve a black talisman and asks her again to mate with his son Caino. He argues that their offspring will help the evolution of mankind. Eve agrees and gives the talisman back to Ludon. She disappears with Elu and Lufa, to Ludon's surprise. He exits along the same path by which he entered.

1:09:00 Act two

1:09:28-1.24.30 Fall
The moon is reflected in a lake, although the moon itself is not in the night sky. The sounds of nocturnal birds are heard. Caino, who is young and black, enters from the right. He looks out over the lake and sits in the lotus position.

Eve approaches in a boat from far across the lake. Elu and Lufa are playing long notes as they stand behind her. The women wear transparent dresses, and the boat stops just offshore. Eve lifts her dress as she wades ashore. The boat moves further out as Eve meets Caino. She sits in his lap, with her legs embracing his hips. They sing together as Elu and Lufa accompany them from the boat.

Eve summons the boat and wades out to it. She sits down with her back to Caino, who watches the boat sail away. He exits to the right. As the boat disappears, a terrifying unseen tenor voice yells, "Eve—our children!" A bright red streak shoots down from the sky, across the lake, and across the audience out the front door and remains visible.

1:35:46-1.45.59 Children's War l 1:58:57-2.05.16 Repentance l 2:13:23 Elufa l 2:21:02-2.26.42 Choir Spiral

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