NEB ANKH
10’45 – 2007
for mezzo or soprano & electronic
Neb Ankh
The singer, an Egyptian princess, carries with her the objects she has loved in her life, and their sound environment cookware, cosmetics, sounds of today, music, a fragrance of Arab variety …
This piece in three movements, is a work on the melisms, the oriental lines and all the possibilities and the resources of the voice, the speech, the energy.
Like a modern Nefertiti, during her last trip to an Egyptian sarcophagus, the singer carries with her the objects she has loved in her life, and their sound environment: kitchen utensils, cosmetics, sounds of today, music, a fragrance of Arab variety …
Title
Neb Ankh refers to the sarcophagus, its literal translation means “master of life”, and its shape symbolizes a boat.
The sung text is written in an imaginary language, it is inspired by the Book of Light, the Book of Shou, one of the texts of the Sarcophagi of the ancient Egyptians.
Text inspired by Shu’s Book, the Book of Light, a text of the Sarcophagi of the Ancient Egyptians
Singing language: Imaginary
Premiere: September 22, 2007
Venue: Asnières sur Oise, France. Musical Season of Royaumont
By: Françoise Kubler, soporano
June 7, 2007 recording of the disc Visions, Paris by Fadia Tomb el Hage, alto
October 13, 2007 Contemporary Dance Festival, iDans, Bogaziçi Üniversitesi (Bosphorus University), Istanbul (Turkey) by Françoise Kubler, soprano
November15, 2007 Comedia Theater, Journée Seul « Ecritures et nouvelles écritures », Toulon, France by Kaoli Isshiki, soprano
November 24, 2007 Festival 38e Rugissants by Françoise Kubler, soprano
December 6, 2007 Concert “Echo” Salle de la Bourse, Strasbourg Mediterranean Festival, Strasbourg, France by Françoise Kubler, soprano
January 28, 2011 Champigny sur Marne by Maja Pavloska Maja Pavloska
March 28, 2013 CRR of Paris by Amel Brahim Djelloul, soprano
February 22, 2014, B & M Theocharaki, Athens, Greece by Angelica Cathariou, soprano
November 4, 2014 Festival of Inordinate Music, Clermont-Ferrand by Géraldine Keller, soprano
December 18, 2014 Venues V-Roger Lefort, Villepinte by Amel Brahim Djelloul, soprano
Commissioned by Mezwej
© ŠamaŠ editions musicales 2007
