Prelude
“One night Europa had a dream. In this dream two continents, which were in the forms of women were arguing over Europa. Asia maintained that since Europa had been born in Asia she belonged to it. The other continent, which was nameless, said that her birth was not important, that Zeus would give her to it. It was early morning, disturbed by the dream Europa did not go back to sleep ... “
- Audio Samples : The Myth of Europa - Prelude & Immortal listen here
The Myth of Europa – an introduction”
the synopsis
There is a statue of the pagan goddess Europa riding a bull outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. According to Greek tradition, Europa (from which Europe takes it’s name) was a beautiful Phoenecian woman of high rank who draws the attention of Zeus - the great Greek sky god. Zeus becomes so enamored with Europa that he transforms himself into the most beautiful white bull that anyone has ever seen. Europa spots this beautiful bull and climbs on top of it and suddenly the bull plunges into the sea and rapes her. Zeus then takes Europa away to Crete where he finally reveals his true identity. The opera, The Myth of Europa, explores the character of Europa as she is transported to a disenfranchised modern Europe seeking her place in a 21st century multi-cultural and technological and highly politicised society - a music DJ scratching and mixing questions of who and what is Europa today.
the work to date
The initial creation was composed as a small chamber piece for Sinfonye as part of the Europa theme at Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s 2007 Styriarte Festival, Graz and resulted in the current passion to develop The Myth of Europa into a fully staged version, with the possibility of a larger intermediate concert version.
the music
The composition takes its inspiration from the late Renaissance and Baroque and creates a contemporary musical expression of the Europa myth for today’s audience. The instrumental parts are composed but inspired by modes of improvisation from the 16th century and subsequent basso continuo techniques of the Baroque.
the musicians
A key element is to exploit individual expertise in improvisation and embellishment as applied in historical musical performance today, but here based on the composer’s contemporary musical notation. The orchestration will be for a mixture of renaissance, baroque and modern musical instruments of c.15-20 musicians with a chorus and solo voices.
the libretto - hunting & gathering
The libretto will be developed by the composer working with librettist Thomas Hoeft. the story will be developed using a "steering group" made up of classicists, Eurocrats, speech-writers, scientists, environmentalists ... passionate thinkers for modern Europe. The language of Europa will be both ancient and multicultural European. there will be stories to tell - Europa's original myth, and its resonating metaphors in contemporary Europe.
production
As with the music and libretto, the production will combine the ancient and the modern.
timescale
european premier in 2012
For more information on the music of Stevie Wishart