L'Upupa and the Triumph of Filial Love
Libretto by the composer
A German comedy in eleven tableaux from the Arabian
Commissioned by the Salzburg Festival
Period of composition 1999-2003
Duration 140 minutes
for René Bosc
1st part
1. Tableau The old man
2. Tableau Die Söhne
3. Tableau The demon
4. Tableau On the island of Pate
5. Tableau A conflict
2nd part
6. Tableau Kipungani
7. Tableau The old man (ii)
8. Tableau A raid
9. Tableau A reunion
10. Tableau The magic box – a ballet
11. Tableau Die blaue Stunde (Mysterium)
World premiere
World premiere August 12th, 2003
Salzburg Kleines Festspielhaus Salzburger Festival
co-produced with Teatro Real Madrid and Deutsche Oper Berlin
Wiener Staatsopernchor
Wiener Philharmoniker
Stage director Dieter Dorn
Stage and costume design Jürgen Rose
Conductor Markus Stenz
Cast
| Badi’at el-Hosn wal Dschamàl | Soprano | The Jewich child |
| The demon | Tenor | |
| Der old man (Al Radschi el-Din, named „confirmed bachelor“) | Baritone | Grand vizier of Manda, island of the black baboons |
| Malik | Mezzo soprano | The very old sultan of Pate |
| Dijab | Basso profondo | The old tyrant of Kipungani |
| Al Kasim („the sharing one“) | High Heldenbariton | Youngest son of the grand vizier |
| Adschib („the queer one“) | Countertenor | Brother of Al Kasim, a no-good |
| Gharib („the non-credible one“) | Buffo bass | Borther of Al Kasim, ein rascal |
Unvisible and unaudible: the nameless dictator of Matandoni
A small mixed vocal group: gardeners, flowers, guardsr, Nubian soldiers, bailiffs (2 Sopr., 2 Mezzo., 2 Ten., 2 Basses)Occupants of the magic box: 3 avenging ghosts (gnomes)
Instrumentation
| 3 Flutes | 2° doubling Alto flute and Piccolo 3° doubling Bass flute and Piccolo | |
| 3 clarinets | 3° doubling Bass clarinet | |
| Oboe | ||
| Oboe d’amore | ||
| Cor anglais | ||
| 3 Bassoons | 3° doubling Double bassoon | |
| 4 Horns | 4° doubling Wagnertuba | |
3 Trompets | ||
| 3 Trombones | Alto, Tenor, Bass | |
| Tuba | ||
| Timpani | ||
| Percussion | (5 Players) | |
| I | Marimba | |
| 5 Mokusho | Japanese rectangular wood blocks, very high, struck with wooden mallets), also doubling percussion II | |
| 3 small Chinese Cymbals | (Gongs with glissando upward), soprano, alto, tenor, also dounling percussion II | |
| 2 pairs of Castanets | (alto, bass), fixed | |
| II | Glockenspiel | |
| 5 Mokusho | doubling percussion I | |
| 3 suspended Cymbals | small, medium, large | |
| Wood block | medium | |
| Hyoshigi | Pair of Japanese rectangular Wood blocks | |
| 3 Bongos | high, medium, low | |
| 3 small chinese Cymbals | doubling für 1. Schlagzeug | |
| Snare Drum | ||
| Matraca | alto | |
| III | Crotales | |
| 2 Gongs | medium, low | |
| 12 chromatic Temple Blocks | ||
| Binsasara | Japanese Rattle | |
| Chocolho | ||
| Tambourine | ||
| Sistrum | ||
| Guiro | ||
| 3 Wood Blocks | ||
| Tam-Tam | low | |
| IV | 6 Tom-Toms | |
| Tam-Tam | low | |
| Log Drum | large | |
| Matraca | soprano | |
| Flexatone | ||
| 2 Thai Gliss-Gongs | ||
| V | Bass Drum with Cymbal | |
| 2 Gliss-Gings | Beijing | |
| Guiro | ||
| Matraca | bass | |
| 2 Pairs of Castanets | soprano and alto, fixed | |
| Gong | low | |
| 2 Harps | ||
| Piano* | ||
| Strings |
Pre-produced tape, „Bruitage“
*Use definitely a grand piano, and be it just a baby grand. (HWH)