isis and the seven scorpions study guide

Isis and the Seven Scorpions

DEAN BURRY

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Isis and the Seven Scorpions Study Guidecoc.caCanadian Opera Company 2011/2012

Table of Contents

Welcome .......................................................................................................................................................... 3

A Brief History of Opera ........................................................................................................................... 4

Characters and Synopsis .......................................................................................................................... 5

The Story Behind Isis and the Seven Scorpions .............................................................................. 6

A Glossary of Opera and Music Terms .............................................................................................. 7

Voice Types .................................................................................................................................................... 8

Meet the Composer: Dean Burry ........................................................................................................... 9

Meet the Cast and Crew ............................................................................................................................ 10

What to Look For.......................................................................................................................................... 12

Hieroglyphics ................................................................................................................................................ 14

Music in Ancient Egyptian Ritual ......................................................................................................... 15

Introduction to Opera, Lesson Plan ..................................................................................................... 16

Opera Detective Worksheet .................................................................................................................... 17

Myths and Hieroglyphs, Lesson Plan .................................................................................................. 18

Worksheet 2.1: Myths and Hieroglyphs .............................................................................................. 19

Create a Sistrum ........................................................................................................................................... 20

Percussion Activity ..................................................................................................................................... 21

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Cover: Peter Barrett as the scorpions and Miriam Khalil as Isis in the Ensemble Studio School Tour production of Isis and the Seven Scorpions, 2006. Photo: Gary Beechey. Above: Simone Osborne as Sally Smith, Wallis Giunta as Molly Brown, Christopher Enns as Professor Hornsby and Adrian Kramer as David Sands in the COC Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour production of Isis and the Seven Scorpions, 2010. Photo: Anand Maharaj

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Welcome

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Dear Educators,

The Canadian Opera Company (COC) is excited to once again bring the magic of opera to young people with our 2011/2012 Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour. Thrilling music, outrageous characters, gripping stories and whimsical designs all combine to make our 45-minute school tour performances a truly operatic experience.

Every year over 40,000 students from Southern Ontario and beyond are treated to some of the best young singers, directors and musicians that this country has to offer. It is our mandate to create opera of the highest quality and many of our school tour performers have gone on to grace the stages of the world’s major opera houses.

The COC travels back to the world of Ancient Egypt in Isis and the Seven Scorpions. Commissioned by the Canadian Opera Company, I composed the score and wrote the libretto for this opera, and saw the company premiere it in 2006. Populated by a rich array of caring, conniving and colourful characters, Isis and the Seven Scorpions takes much of its inspiration and text from the actual Egyptian Book of the Dead and brings this long-forgotten story crashing into the modern world.

The COC has created this Study Guide to guide your exploration through the “mysteries” of opera. A brief history of the art form, a synopsis and what to look for in the visual design elements of the production will deepen the experience and teacher-created lesson plans will help connect the opera to the larger worlds of music, expression, literature and imagination.

Thrilling. Outrageous. Gripping. Whimsical. Enjoy!

Dean BurrySchool Tour ManagerCanadian Opera Company

Peter Barrett as the scorpions in the COC Ensemble Studio School Tour production of Isis and the Seven Scorpions, 2006. Photo: Gary Beechey

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A Brief History of Opera - in two minutes or less!

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Opera started in the late 16th century in Florence, Italy, at the beginning of the Baroque period of music. The first opera composers took many of their ideas from the ancient Greeks, who combined music and drama to tell a story more effectively. The Greeks also used a chorus to further the plot and comment on the action of the story.

Early operas recreated Greek tragedies with mythological themes. During the 17th and 18th centuries, opera used many different stories: some serious (called opera seria) and some light-hearted (called opéra comique or opera buffa). Since then operas have been written on a wide variety of topics such as cultural clashes (Madama Butterfly), comedic farce (The Barber of Seville), politicians on foreign visits (Nixon in China), the celebration of Canadian heroes (Louis Riel), or the adaptation of children’s stories (The Little Prince).

WHAT IS OPERA?

The term “opera” comes from the Italian word for “work” or “piece,” and it is usually applied to the European tradition of grand opera. Opera is a story told through music, drama and design. Musical equivalents to European opera can be found in China at the Peking Opera and in Africa where it is called Epic Storytelling. The Canadian Opera Company presents works in the Western European tradition.

(l – r) Miriam Khalil as Sally Smith, Lauren Segal as Molly Brown, Victor Micallef as Professor Hornsby and Peter Barrett as David Sands in the COC Ensemble Studio School Tour production of Isis and the Seven Scorpions, 2006. Photo: Gary Beechey

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Isis and the Seven Scorpions Study Guidecoc.caCanadian Opera Company 2011/2012 5

Name Voice TypeProfessor Hornsby/Set TenorSally Smith/Isis SopranoDavid Sands/Osiris/The Scorpions BaritoneMolly Brown/Nephthys/Tahemet Mezzo-Soprano

MAIN CHARACTERS

SYNOPSIS

A blinding sandstorm in the Egyptian desert. A group of weary archaeology students, led by their professor, search for the mythical Lost Temple of Isis. Against the advice of his students, the old professor sits down for a brief rest and is stung by a scorpion. Unsure what to do next, the students carry their teacher into a cave. Upon entering the darkness they realize that this is no common cave – they have stumbled upon the Lost Temple itself. In a desperate attempt to help the professor, Sally remembers Isis was known as the Goddess of Healing and that her knowledge might provide the answer. Perhaps the clues lie in the ancient hieroglyphics on the temple walls, telling the story of Isis, Osiris (her husband), Nephthys (her sister), and Set (Osiris’s brother). Molly and David don’t believe in the spell and leave Sally alone. After examining the hieroglyphics, Sally decodes a portion of the legend of Isis... something about a cure for scorpion stings.

The story tells of a great rivalry between the king of all Egypt, Osiris, and his jealous brother Set. Set wishes more than anything to become the one ruler and tricks his wife, Nephthys, into laying a trap for the king. At a royal banquet in honour of Osiris, Set unveils a beautiful gold chest. Whoever fits perfectly into the box will become its owner. Guest after guest lines up to win the prize, but only Osiris is the correct size. This was Set’s scheme all along, as the box had been crafted for this purpose. The lid is slammed shut on Osiris and the box is thrown in the river Nile. Set is now king. Good Osiris is dead and his wife Isis is banished to the unforgiving desert.

Isis spends her days in despair. Her beloved husband is gone and she is alone. Nephthys appears and Isis at first rebukes her for her involvement in the scheme, but

Characters and Synopsis

she soon realizes that Nephthys was tricked as well. The two sisters reconcile and sing to invoke the memory of Osiris. Nephthys gives Isis Osiris’s magical sistrum that will summon the scorpions to lead her out of exile in the desert. Upon shaking the sistrum, the seven scorpions appear and, led by Tefen, escort Isis out of the desert to a town, where they eventually come to the door of Tahemet, a rich woman. The woman is horrified at Isis’s bedraggled appearance and the seven frightening scorpions, and turns them away. The scorpions are enraged by the actions of Tahemet. “How dare she turn away the Queen of Egypt!” they cry out, and hatch a revenge plan. The scorpions give all of their poison to Tefen who will sting the rich woman’s baby. Moments later, the woman runs into the street crying that her baby has been poisoned. She cries for help, but no one will come to her aid.

“Scorpions, did you do this?” Isis scolds them. “The child is not to be blamed for the actions of a thoughtless mother.” Taking the child in her arms, she begins to cast a spell, naming each of the scorpions in turn:

“Poison of Tefen and Befen appear on the earth. I take away your sting. Poison of Mesetet and Mesetetef release. I take away your sting. Poison of Petet and Tjetet and Matet retreat. Come forth! I take away your sting! I take away your sting!”

The baby is saved.

Back in the Temple of Isis, the students, by working together, realize that they have not only uncovered the cure for a scorpion sting, but a new sense of understanding and respect for one another. The professor is saved and they begin the triumphant journey home.

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ANCIENT EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY

The Story Behind Isis and the Seven ScorpionsAlmost every ancient culture had its own mythology* that helped its people to explain the mysteries of life, death and nature, and formed an important part of religious and daily life. Our knowledge of the mythology of various cultures comes from a variety of sources. The writings of Homer, a famous Ancient Greek poet and storyteller, are one of the ways that scholars learned the stories of Greek myths. The mythology of Native American and Native Canadian tribes has largely been passed down orally from generation to generation. We have been able to learn of Egyptian mythology (as well as their culture and language) through hieroglyphs.

The composer and librettist of Isis and the Seven Scorpions, Dean Burry, is very interested in Egyptian mythology, and was very excited when he discovered the story of Isis and the Seven Scorpions as described on the Metternich Stela, a stone tablet. He said about the opera:“What I find most interesting about the potential of this piece is that much of the myth, including the actual recitation, comes from tomb walls, papyrus writings and statue bases.”

The Stela contains many stories of Isis, Osiris and their son Horus, and includes recitations intended to be used against serpents and scorpions. The incantation that Isis sings in the opera to cure Tahemet’s child is an interpretation of the actual writings from the Stela.

THE ORIGINAL:“Poison of Tefen, come, go out to the earth, do not go about and do not penetrate: Poison of Befen, come, go out to the earth, I am Isis divine, mistress of magic, exercising magic, magical in speaking, effective of words. Every biting snake obeys me. Fall down, poison of Mestet, do not run. Poison of Mestetef, do not rise, poison of Petet and Tjetet. Fall down, mouth of the biting one, at the words of Isis divine, great magic among the gods, to whom Geb has given his magic power in order to avert the poison in its power. Yield, recede, flee, backwards, poison, do not jump up, at the words of the beloved Ra, the egg of the sun-bird and who has come forth from the sycamore.”

IN THE OPERA:Poison of Tefen, appear on the earth, do not advance. Come

forth.Poison of Befen, appear on the earth, do not advance. Come

forth.I take away your sting.Poison of Mesetet, halt! Poison of Mesetetef, release!Poison of Petet and Tjetet and Matet retreat!Come forth! Come forth!I am Isis. I take away your sting. I take away your sting!

Other elements of the story and libretto come from various sources. The Hymn to Osiris is based on words found in the Book of the Dead, an ancient Egyptian text that was normally placed in a coffin or burial chamber as part of the ritual thought to help the dead pass into the afterlife. Part of the Book of the Dead describes the second life of Osiris.

You can watch a video podcast about the Royal Ontario Museum’s Book of the Dead scroll on their website at http://www.rom.on.ca/media/podcasts/display.php?id=77

*Mythology is a term for a

collection of stories that pertain to a specific culture –

individual stories are called “myths.” Myths normally concern topics such as the origin of the people, history, deities,

ancestors and heroes. Other types of world mythology include ancient Greek, Roman, Celtic, Babylonian,

Native American, Norse, Aztec, Inuit… and many

more!

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http://www.rom.on.ca/media/podcasts/display.php?id=77


A Glossary of Opera and Music Terms

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A capella: Vocal music without instrumental accompaniment

Aria: A song for one singer, content is often self-reflective in nature or emotional

Arioso: Aria-like, a lyrical and expressive passage of recitative

Bel Canto: Italian for “beautiful singing” (also a style of music)

Chorus: A group of singers who act and sing together

Coloratura: Ornamental vocal music where several notes are sung for each syllable of the text

Composer: The individual who writes the music

Conductor: The musical director of the orchestra

Crescendo: Gradually getting louder

Decrescendo: Gradually getting softer

Duet: A song performed by, and written for, two singers

Ensemble: Connected singing by a number of performers

Finale: The final musical number of an act, scene, or opera

Forte: Musical notation meaning the note should be played or sung “loudly”

Legato: Smooth, connected playing or singing, with flowing transition from one note to

another

Librettist: The individual who writes the libretto of an opera

Libretto: The words and story of the opera set to the composer’s music; translates to “little book” in English

Mezzo: Medium (i.e. mezzo forte means “medium loud”)

Note: A musical sound with its own pitch

Octave: The distance between the tone of scale and the next higher or lower tone of similar pitch (i.e. middle C and the C above are an octave apart).

Overture: The introductory musical passage played by the orchestra

Pianissimo: Very soft

Pitch: The highness or lowness of sound

Recitative: A type of singing unique to opera when words are delivered in a way that imitates speech

Scale: A series of notes (usually eight in the Western tradition) that can be played in an ascending and descending pattern, and that are related by the pattern of the intervals between the notes

Score: Music in written form with all the parts set down in relation to each other

Tempo: The speed at which a piece of music moves

Timbre: The quality of tone (vocal or instrumental)

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Voice Types

FEMALE VOICES

Soprano: The soprano is the highest of the female voices. Some are able to sing very high notes and skip through rapid passages with ease (coloratura soprano). Others specialize in singing with great intensity and power (dramatic soprano). Still others have voices of exceptional beauty that can sustain long melodies (lyric soprano). Sopranos tend to play the heroines (lead female characters) in opera.

Mezzo-soprano: These are lower female voices. Mezzo-sopranos have a darker sound and can reach low notes beneath the range of the soprano. Mezzo-sopranos often sing the roles of mothers, witches, confidantes, or even young male characters.

Contralto: This is the lowest female voice. Canadian Maureen Forrester was a famous contralto. This voice type is often written for a very strong character, such as a goddess.

MALE VOICES

Tenor: The tenors are the highest male voices, and like the soprano, cover a wide variety of vocal colours. Luciano Pavarotti is an example of a “lyric tenor” with his ability to soar through melodies, while Plácido Domingo exemplifies the darker-hued intensity of the “dramatic tenor.” They often play the hero. A countertenor is a male singer with a very high register, so much so that at first hearing they can sound similar to a woman.

Baritone: These are the middle male voices. Composers only began to write for this range in the 19th century. As with all the ranges, there are a number of types of baritones. Many have extremely flexible wide-ranging voices. They play the villains, fools, friends, fathers and other character parts.

Bass: The lowest of all voice types, the bass has a rich sound particularly suited to the wiser, older characters in the opera. Composers often challenge basses by writing notes at the extreme low end of their range.

Just as each person’s

speaking voice has a certain range and sound,

each singer’s voice falls within a certain range and possesses a unique tone or quality. In the

same way that no two people are physically identical, no two voices

sound the same. There is a tremendous variety within

each vocal range.

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Meet the Composer: Dean Burry

Dean Burry was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1972, but grew up in the town of Gander. Following high school, Burry began studies as a saxophone major at Mount Allison (Mt. A) University in Sackville, New Brunswick. Seeking ways to combine his love of theatre and music, he began to compose operas and musicals. In his first three years at Mt. A he wrote, produced and conducted three major dramatic musical works: The Resurrection, Joe and Mary Had a Baby and Unto the Earth: Vignettes of a War.

In 1998, while working as an educator with the Canadian Opera Company, he was commissioned to write The Brothers Grimm. The opera has been seen by over 100,000 children across Canada since 2001 and has been produced in Toronto, Ottawa, Saskatoon, Calgary and Edmonton. The Brothers Grimm is believed to be the most performed Canadian opera ever.

Other major works include The Hobbit and The Secret World of OG for the Canadian Children’s Opera Company and Sarasota Opera, Isis and the Seven Scorpions for the Canadian Opera Company, Pandora’s Locker for The Glenn Gould School, A Creature of Habit for Rising Tide Theatre, The Mummers’ Masque for Toronto Masque Theatre, the CBC serial radio opera Baby Kintyre and The Bremen Town Musicians with Opera Lyra.

Burry’s recent musical, Beacon of Light, tells the story of airline passengers trapped in Gander, Newfoundland as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and was featured as part of the town’s 10th anniversary memorials of 9/11.

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Meet the Cast and Crew

Lindsay Barrett – Molly Brown/Nephthys/Tahemet Soprano Lindsay Barrett is a graduate of University of Toronto’s Opera School. Recent roles include Violetta in La Traviata with Saskatoon Opera; Laetitia in Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief, Fanny in Rossini’s La Cambiale di Matrimonio, Clara in Pasatieri’s Signor Deluso, and Galatea in Von Zuppe’s Die Schone Galatea with Highlands Opera Studio; and Cunegonde in Bernstein’s Candide, Flaminia in Haydn’s Il mondo della luna, and La Princesse in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges with UofT. Upcoming performances include Tatyana in Eugene Onegin with Off Centre Music. She has also appeared with Off Centre Music Salon, the Toronto Arts and Letters Club, the Aldeburgh Connection’s Discovery Series, The Bayfield Festival and in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with David Briskin and the University of Toronto Orchestra. Ms Barrett was awarded the University of Toronto Faculty of Music’s most prestigious award, the Tecumseh Sherman Rogers Graduating Scholarship.

Jon-Paul Décosse – David Sands/Osiris/The ScorpionsBorn in London, Ontario, COC Ensemble Studio graduate and baritone Jon-Paul Décosse last performed with the COC as Don Alfonso in the Ensemble Studio production of Così fan tutte. Other COC credits include the Convict/Don Juan in From the House of the Dead, Sciarrone in Tosca, and Schaunard in La Bohème. In addition, he understudied the title roles in Eugene Onegin and The Marriage of Figaro. Other credits include Marullo in Rigoletto with Pacific Opera Victoria (POV), Thierry and the First Officer in Dialogues des Carmélites with Vancouver Opera, Colline in La Bohème for both Opera Hamilton and Edmonton Opera, and Papageno in Die Zauberflöte with Opera New Brunswick. Upcoming engagements include Handel’s Messiah with the Highlands Festival Singers, the Doctor in Macbeth with POV, and Schaunard in La Bohème with Calgary Opera.

Christopher Enns – Professor Hornsby/Set/Rami Born in Manitoba, tenor Christopher Enns recently appeared with the COC as Scaramuccio in Ariadne auf Naxos, Tamino in the Ensemble Studio performance of The Magic Flute and an American, a Strolling Player, and the Glass Maker in Death in Venice. He understudied roles in Aida and The Magic Flute. He holds his bachelor of vocal performance from the University of Manitoba and graduated from the University of Toronto with a diploma in operatic performance. This season with the COC Mr. Enns appears as Nathanael in The Tales of Hoffmann and

Apollo in Semele. He also sings the role of Jupiter in the Ensemble Studio performance of Semele, and understudies roles in Iphigenia in Tauris and Rigoletto.

Jacqueline Woodley – Sally Smith/IsisSoprano Jacqueline Woodley recently appeared with the COC as Papagena in the Ensemble Studio performance of The Magic Flute and the Lace Seller in Death in Venice. She understudied roles in Death in Venice, The Magic Flute, Ariadne auf Naxos and Orfeo ed Euridice. Ms Woodley holds both her bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in opera performance from McGill University, has trained at Opera NUOVA in Edmonton and for three years with the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv and Montreal. She recently sang in the world premiere of Ana Sokolovic’s Svadba – Wedding with Queen of Puddings Music Theatre. This season with the COC Ms Woodley appears as First Priestess in Iphigenia in Tauris, the page in Rigoletto and Iris in the Ensemble Studio performance of Semele. She understudies roles in The Tales of Hoffmann and Semele.

Brent Krysa – Set & Costume Designer

Timothy Cheung – Music DirectorBorn in Hong Kong, pianist Timothy Cheung is a new intern coach with the COC Ensemble Studio. Mr. Cheung holds a bachelor’s degree in piano performance and a master’s degree in collaborative piano from the University of Western Ontario (UWO). During his time at the university, he also studied instrumental and choral conducting, voice and composition. He was a coach and assistant conductor for UWOpera and a winner of the university’s concerto competition. Mr. Cheung has trained as a vocal pianist and répétiteur at the Music Academy of the West, Canadian Operatic Arts Academy, Queen of Puddings Theatre Program, Halifax Summer Opera Workshop, and the Merola Opera Program.

Ashlie Corcoran – DirectorFormer COC Ensemble Studio intern director Ashlie Corcoran directed the COC’s production of William Walton’s The Bear and the school tour production of Cinderella. With the COC, she was apprentice director for the Ring Cycle, Faust and La Traviata and assistant director for Idomeneo, Tosca, Don Giovanni, Fidelio and The Magic Flute. She has worked as an assistant director

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for Opera North in the U.K. and Städtische Bühnen Münster in Germany. She is co-artistic producer of Theatre Smash for which she directed Tiny Dynamite, The Bus, Tijuana Cure, A Boy Called Newfoundland, The Ugly One and produced Norway. Today. In 2009, Ms Corcoran was a Shaw Festival intern director, directing Sean O’Casey’s Bedtime Story. Other directing credits include productions for Resurgence Theatre, Summerworks Festival, Luminato Festival, The Wrecking Ball and Alumnae Theatre. Ms Corcoran received an undergraduate degree from Queen’s University and a master’s in directing, awarded with distinction, from the University of London. She is a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab, participated in a directing residency at Berlin’s Maxim Gorki Theater and was the 2010/2011 Urjo Kareda Resident Emerging Artist at Tarragon Theatre. Upcoming: Directing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Western Canada Theatre.

Michael Lewandowski – Stage Manager Michael Lewandowski’s work as assistant stage manager with the COC includes The Nightingale and Other Short Fables (Brooklyn Academy of Music), Orfeo ed Euridice, Death in Venice, Maria Stuarda, Tosca, Elektra, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Die Walküre and Carmen. Recently, he worked as assistant stage manager for Opéra du Québec Festival’s production of The Nightingale and Other Short Fables. Stage managing credits include Dry Streak (Grand Theatre), Love Songs (Queen of Puddings Music Theatre), Da Kink in My Hair (U.K. Tour) and Hansel and Gretel and Cinderella (COC school tours). He has worked as an assistant stage manager on such productions as The Pillowman (CanStage) and They’re Playing Our Song (Welcome Wood Theatre). Mr. Lewandowski has also worked as the floor director for the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards (Global TV).

(l – r) Lauren Segal with puppet Tahemet and Miriam Khalil in the COC Ensemble Studio School Tour production of Isis and the Seven Scorpions, 2006. Photo: Gary Beechey

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What to Look for

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ABOUT THE DESIGN OF ISIS AND THE SEVEN SCORPIONS

The set for Isis and the Seven Scorpions was designed by Brent Krysa. Brent’s design serves to evoke both the mystical world of Isis in ancient Egypt and a present day, barren Egyptian desert in which Professor Hornsby, Sally, David, and Molly find themselves in peril.

USE OF COLOUR

In Ancient Egypt, colour could be used to symbolize an integral part of a person’s nature. Different colours had specific meanings, and colour used in combination with hieroglyphs intensified the meaning of the symbol. Colours were often paired. For example, silver and gold were considered complementary colours because they formed a duality of opposites, like the sun and moon. Two colours stand out in Brent’s set, costume and prop design: gold and blue.

Blue was considered a divine colour, appropriate for sacred places. Dark blue or “Egyptian blue” was the colour of the heavens and water, and it represented creation, life and re-birth.

Gold (or yellow) designated the eternal and the indestructible, also considered to be qualities of the sun. Statues of the gods were either made of gold or were gold-plated to symbolize their eternal life.

THE EYE OF HORUS

The Eye of Horus (also known as the Udjat or Wadjet) is painted on the centre panel of the set piece. The Eye is the symbol of Horus who is the son of Isis and Osiris, and is one of the oldest and most revered deities in Ancient Egyptian religion.

Brent chose to depict the Eye of Horus on the set piece because it is a powerful symbol believed to have healing and protective power. In Ancient Egypt, it was frequently represented in jewellery to ensure the safety and health of the person who wore it. Will the Eye of Horus bring its protective and healing powers to the Professor and his students?

COSTUME CHANGES

The singers in this opera play dual roles, meaning they each play two or more different characters. The singer who plays Sally Smith, for instance, also plays the Ancient Egyptian Goddess, Isis. One way this is represented is through changes in costume. Sally wears modern-day clothing that is well-suited to the climate of present day Egypt, while her secondary character, Isis, dons draped white linens and a golden crown. See if you can spot the other characters’ transformations.

Do they act differently? Sing differently? What subtext do these different costumes give to the story?

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SET AND COSTUME SKETCHES BY DESIGNER BRENT KRYSA

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WHAT ARE HIEROGLYPHICS?

Hieroglyphics were the Ancient Egyptians’ formal writing system. Although many hieroglyphs look like drawings,hieroglyphics is a very complicated system, and a drawing that looks like a bird doesn’t necessarily stand for the word“bird.” Linguists, archaeologists and historians were stumped by hieroglyphs and the Ancient Egyptian language until the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799. The Stone is carved with a decree written in two forms

Hieroglyphics

of Egyptian hieroglyphs and also Ancient Greek: by comparing the Greek text with the hieroglyphs, scholars began to decipher Egyptian writing. In 1822 French scholar Jean-François Champollion published a full translation of the Rosetta Stone text. Our understanding of Ancient Egyptian language, mythology and culture has grown from this first amazing discovery.

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THE SISTRUM

Percussion has been a part of most cultures from the beginning of time, starting with hand clapping and sounds created by stomping on the earth. There is pictorial evidence that Ancient Egyptian musical culture included both pitched instruments (for example flutes, harps, and trumpets) and non-pitched instruments (for example cymbals, drums, and rattles). Rhythmic music was at the core of Egyptian religious practices and was always used in ritual processions.

One instrument that was used in rituals associated with Isis was the sistrum. The sistrum, called seshesht in Egyptian, was a type of shaker and considered sacred to Hathor, goddess of the sky, love, beauty, and music. The instrument originally consisted of cut papyrus stems, but evolved into a more advanced and decorative metal rattle. The sound that it produced was thought to attract the attention of the gods.

Music in Ancient Egyptian Ritual

Over time, percussion music from Egypt and the Middle East continued to play an important role in the religious, military, and cultural life of the region, and even began to influence the music and culture of other areas in the world. In fact, the use of percussion instruments in European orchestras today can be traced to the influence of a particular style of Turkish military music played by “Janissary bands.” Janissaries were a kind of percussion band associated with the Turkish military and the personal bodyguards of Turkish Sultans. The music is characterized by its use of extra percussion instruments, including the bass drum, cymbals, triangle and one instrument that is similar to the sistrum: the crescent. The Turkish crescent is a handheld stick with lots of bells and jingles hanging from crescent-shaped crossbars. During the 18th century, military bands all over Europe copied the Janissary style, and imported the instruments used by the Janissary bands. By the end of the century European composers had begun using percussion instruments such as the bass drum, cymbals, and triangle in their orchestral compositions. Classical musicians like Mozart and Beethoven composed in the so-called “Turkish style” in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

In Ancient Egypt,

most of the highly trained percussionists who performed for the

entertainment of wealthy and noble people were

women.

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Lesson Plan: Introduction to Opera

OVERVIEWStudents are introduced to the opera medium and opera-related vocabulary. Students listen to opera excerpts and identify emotions/stories in music. In this lesson, students explore opera through reflection and active participation, and practice listening skills.

INTRODUCTION TO OPERASuggested discussion questions (see Study Guide for this information):

w What do you think of when you hear the word “opera?” Write the answers on chart paper, and group them according to music, drama, and design elements.

w What do you think you need to put on an opera? Use what was written above to prompt answers. What makes an opera different from a play? A ballet? A pop concert?

w How many other different ways can you think of to tell a story? (e.g. in a play, in a film, with puppets, with a song)

w Why is it important that music and text match in emotion and intention?

EXTENSION IDEASw Introduce/review musical terms (e.g. forte, piano, allegro, tempo, etc.) and operatic terms (see “A Glossary of Terms” article in Study Guide).

w Lead class in singing a familiar tune, then sing it again with different emotions (e.g. “Row, row, row your boat” sung happily, angrily, sadly). Discuss what differences students notice in volume, tempo, etc. when they try to portray different emotions while singing.

MATERIALSw Chart paper and markersw CD player, CD(s) of opera selections (suggestions on

the next page)w COC Isis and the Seven Scorpions Study Guidew “Opera Detective” table (Worksheet 1.1)

1.1 LISTENING ACTIVITYPlay three operatic excerpts, each representing a different emotion. Ask students to complete the “Opera Detective” table (Worksheet 1.1). With younger students, fill out the table as a class, or in groups.

EXTENSION IDEASwHave students include proper musical/operatic

vocabulary in table.

wHave students do the Listening Activity in groups. When finished, each group picks one of the excerpts, and creates three tableaux describing the story they have identified in that excerpt. Groups take turns performing them for the class and classmates must guess which excerpt they are dramatizing.

ASSESSMENT Students can be assessed on overall participation and comprehension.

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Opera Detective Worksheet

SUGGESTED EXCERPTS

w“Largo al factotum” – from Rossini’s The Barber of Seville (baritone aria)

w“Les voici, les voici!” – from Bizet’s Carmen (children’s chorus)

w“O soave fanciulla” – from Puccini’s La Bohème (tenor/soprano duet)

w“Va pensiero” – from Verdi’s Nabucco (chorus)w“Voi che sapete” – from Mozart’s The Marriage of

Figaro (mezzo-soprano aria)w“Una furtiva lagrima” – from Donizetti’s The Elixir of

Love (tenor aria)w“Barcarolle” – from Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann

(soprano/mezzo-soprano duet)

EXCERPT 1

What is the tempo?

EXCERPT 2 EXCERPT 3

What is the overallemotion(s) of the piece?

Who do you think is singing? (e.g. a young woman? a group of sailors?)

How do you feel while you’re listening to the piece?

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Lesson Plan: Myths and Hieroglyphs

OVERVIEWIn this lesson students are introduced to the concepts of myths and hieroglyphs, and explore the mythology of other cultures through personal or group research. Students use reading comprehension skills to analyze a myth and identify selected characters, concepts and vocabulary. Visual art and language skills are used in creating and defining their own hieroglyphs.

MATERIALSw Chart paper and markers/chalkboard and chalk for

discussion (optional)w COC Isis and the Seven Scorpions Study Guide w Research materials (library, books, computers, etc.)w “Myth and Hieroglyphs” table (Worksheet 2.1)

INTRODUCTION TO MYTHOLOGY AND HIEROGLYPHS (GROUP LESSON/DISCUSSION)See Study Guide article (page 6) “The Story Behind Isis and the Seven Scorpions” for information about mythology and hieroglyphs, and types of world mythology.

SUGGESTED CLASS DISCUSSION TOPICSw What is the difference between a myth and a fairy tale

or story? w Why do you think myths would be important for a

culture?w What are some of the characters/stories/themes you

would expect to find in a myth? (e.g. heroes, gods and goddesses, creation legends, etc.)

w In our world, we use symbols to tell us something without letters, like hieroglyphs – what are some examples? (e.g. men’s and women’s bathroom signs, wheelchair access, no smoking, recycling, etc.)

ACTIVITIES2.1 RESEARCHING WORLD MYTHOLOGYAs a class, in groups, or as individuals, students choose a type of world mythology to research (see Study Guide article for examples – topic can also be assigned by the educator). Students will choose one particular myth from this culture to focus on. w For younger grades, skip activity 2.1 and do activity 2.2

as a class or group project, with a myth assigned by the educator and discussed in class.

2.2 TELLING A STORY WITH HIEROGLYPHSUsing Worksheet 2.1, students identify one major character, one object, one action, and one emotion from the myth they are studying, and create a corresponding hieroglyph, explaining why they have created that particular symbol.w For older grades, have them retell the story, inserting

their hieroglyphs in the appropriate places

ASSESSMENT Students can be assessed on overall participation and research, and submit Worksheet 2.1 for grading.

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WORKSHEET 2.1: MYTHS AND HIEROGLYPHS

The culture this myth is from is: This myth is called:

A major character is: The hieroglyph for this character is: Explanation:

An important object is: The hieroglyph for this object is: Explanation:

An important action is: The hieroglyph for this action is: Explanation:

An emotion found in the myth is: The hieroglyph for this emotion is: Explanation:

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WHAT IS A SISTRUM?A sistrum is an Ancient Egyptian metal shaker used extensively in religious and royal ceremonies.

SUMMARY/OBJECTIVE OF ACTIVITY w Students will research the role of music in Ancient

Egypt. What are some examples of instruments people played in Ancient Egypt? On what occasions was music played, and why?

w Students will create their own sistrum as seen in the opera Isis and the Seven Scorpions out of found materials.

w Students will demonstrate an understanding of basic rhythm patterns.

INPUT1. A week in advance, ask students to bring in toilet

or paper towel rolls from home that they will use to construct a sistrum.

2. Read the students the synopsis of the opera or have the students take turns reading aloud. Pay special attention to the banquet for Osiris.

3. Teach students to distinguish between beat and rhythm in a simple song. Identify different tempi (faster and slower speeds), and identify examples of dynamics (loudness and softness) and discuss how they are achieved.

4. Create a template for students to work from and give instructions for how to create the sistrum.

5. Upon completion, work as a group to experiment with different rhythm patterns, tempi and dynamics with your new instruments.

Create a Sistrum

HOW TO MAKE A SISTRUM

MATERIALS (PER STUDENT) w Three pieces of wire (at least 22 gauge) cut into pieces

10 cm in lengthw Six paper clips w Duct tape or stapler w Strip of Bristol board (3 cm wide, 30 cm long) w One toilet paper roll

WHAT TO DO w Bend the strip of Bristol board into an oval shape and

staple or tape it to the toilet paper roll so that it is in the shape of a tennis racket.

w Attach the three pieces of wire horizontally inside the oval shape by poking a hole through the sides of the Bristol board strip and bending the wire ends on the outside to secure.

w Attach two paper clips on each wire (two on each line, six in total).

w The sistrum is ready to be used in percussion-based activity.

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Percussion Activity

CREATE A SOUNDSCAPE

OBJECTIVEw Identify examples of dynamics in their environment

and in music. w Produce a specific effect using various sound sources. w Identify examples in their environment and in music. w Identify different tempi in their environment and in

music. w Perform a soundscape or sound collage based on a

theme or topic.

INPUT 1. Have students sit in a circle facing each other. Tell

them that they are about to become an orchestra called “Sounds of a Desert Oasis.” What is a desert oasis? Brainstorm what kinds of sounds you might hear in a desert oasis.

2. Distribute some found objects, e.g. scrap paper, fabric. 3. Give students a few minutes to think of a unique

sound they would like to produce, e.g. blowing through their hands might sound like the wind, paper rustling together might sounds like palm leaves in the breeze, fabric flapping might sound like cranes flapping their wings.

4. Tell the students you are going to be the conductor for their sounds.

a. When you move your hands (palms up), their sounds get louder. When you lower your hands (palms down) their sounds get softer.

b. When you move your hands in a wave-like motion quickly, they are going to speed up their sounds. When you wave slowly, they slow down their sounds.

5. Discussion: How did the loudness/softness, fastness or slowness of their sounds change the soundscape? Did it connote a different feeling or mood?

EXTENSION

Have students come up and be the conductor. Divide the students into two groups. Designate two conductors. Have them each conduct their own group. How does this change the sound?

Alternatively, divide the students into two groups and have each group follow a different hand with different commands. As a group, brainstorm the different types of sounds that a group of archaeologists might hear while exploring an Ancient Egyptian tomb. Make a new soundscape based on this idea. Some examples of sounds include the tomb door opening, the sound of footsteps, the sound of a chest opening slowly. This could be an add-on activity post-performance.

Attempt to create the soundscape without using visual communication. Instead of looking to a conductor for instructions, tell students to close their eyes. The conductor taps students once on the head to indicate that they should begin to make their individual sound. A second tap turns the sound “off.” A touch on the right shoulder means “get louder.” A touch on the left shoulder means “get softer.” Depending on the size of the group, you can experiment with having more than one conductor at a time.

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Above: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Photo: Sam Javanrouh

The COC offers a wide variety of school programs for Kindergarten to Grade 12.

To find out more, visit our website at coc.ca/Explore or contact:

Education & OutreachCanadian Opera Company

Tel: 416-306-2392Fax: [email protected]

Isis and the Seven Scorpions Study Guide editors: Katherine Semcesen, Associate Director, Education and Outreach; Dean Burry, School Tour Manager; Nikita Gourski, Development Communications Assistant; Suzanne Vanstone, Senior Communications Manager, Editorial; Gianna Wichelow, Senior Communications Manager, Creative; Carly Anderson, Children & Youth Programs Manager

Title Sponsor, Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour:

The COC gratefully acknowledges:

Charitable Registration Number: 11883 4829 RR0001

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isis and the seven scorpions study guide

Documents

glossary of opera

scorpions study guidecoc

opera detective worksheet

brief history of opera

lesson plan

music terms

wallis giunta

molly brown