Contemporary Interpretation of the Epic of Gilgamesh: Gilgamesh Operas by Nevid Kodallı and Ahmed Adnan Saygun
Within the realm of opera literature, two notable works draw inspiration from the Epic of Gilgamesh: "Gilgamesh," composed by Nevit Kodallı with a libretto by Orhan Asena, and another piece with the same title composed by Ahmed Adnan Saygun, who also wrote the libretto. While the overarchi...
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Istanbul University Press
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Konservatoryum |
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| Online Access: | https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/62A8B5A3CEAC4B9C92E21D399D50EC47 |
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| author | İbrahim Şevket Güleç Elif Sanem Güleç |
| author_facet | İbrahim Şevket Güleç Elif Sanem Güleç |
| author_sort | İbrahim Şevket Güleç |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Within the realm of opera literature, two notable works draw inspiration from the Epic of Gilgamesh: "Gilgamesh," composed by Nevit Kodallı with a libretto by Orhan Asena, and another piece with the same title composed by Ahmed Adnan Saygun, who also wrote the libretto. While the overarching theme of Gilgamesh’s quest revolves around immortality, Kodallı approaches it as a means, emphasizing the protagonist’s profound desire for freedom. Gilgamesh’s journey, portrayed by Kodallı, unfolds as a transformation into a wise man with an unending passion for freedom. In Saygun’s rendition, the narrative of maturity is woven through the lens of Sufism. Death in this context is not an endpoint but a commencement, adding depth to the story. This paper delves into how composers and librettists interpret and reshape the epic, exploring the divergence and derivation from the original material. The analysis considers various aspects, including storyline, characters, time, place, and theme, shedding light on the intertextual affiliations that aid in understanding these new compositions. The paper emphasizes the evolution of themes and changes in forms as the central focus. As these shifts are examined, the evaluation encompasses subcategories such as storyline, characters, time, place, and theme. The exploration of intertextual connections draws parallels between dramaturgical analyses of opera pieces, offering valuable insights for staging opera productions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6fa6155b3d7c4037ad7f42d45129e082 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2618-5695 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Istanbul University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Konservatoryum |
| spelling | doaj-art-6fa6155b3d7c4037ad7f42d45129e0822025-08-20T02:57:22ZengIstanbul University PressKonservatoryum2618-56952023-12-01102273810.26650/CONS2023-1319966123456Contemporary Interpretation of the Epic of Gilgamesh: Gilgamesh Operas by Nevid Kodallı and Ahmed Adnan Saygunİbrahim Şevket Güleç0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7961-5715Elif Sanem Güleç1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9288-3255Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi, Konya, TurkiyeMalatya Turgut Özal Üniversitesi, Malatya, TurkiyeWithin the realm of opera literature, two notable works draw inspiration from the Epic of Gilgamesh: "Gilgamesh," composed by Nevit Kodallı with a libretto by Orhan Asena, and another piece with the same title composed by Ahmed Adnan Saygun, who also wrote the libretto. While the overarching theme of Gilgamesh’s quest revolves around immortality, Kodallı approaches it as a means, emphasizing the protagonist’s profound desire for freedom. Gilgamesh’s journey, portrayed by Kodallı, unfolds as a transformation into a wise man with an unending passion for freedom. In Saygun’s rendition, the narrative of maturity is woven through the lens of Sufism. Death in this context is not an endpoint but a commencement, adding depth to the story. This paper delves into how composers and librettists interpret and reshape the epic, exploring the divergence and derivation from the original material. The analysis considers various aspects, including storyline, characters, time, place, and theme, shedding light on the intertextual affiliations that aid in understanding these new compositions. The paper emphasizes the evolution of themes and changes in forms as the central focus. As these shifts are examined, the evaluation encompasses subcategories such as storyline, characters, time, place, and theme. The exploration of intertextual connections draws parallels between dramaturgical analyses of opera pieces, offering valuable insights for staging opera productions.https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/62A8B5A3CEAC4B9C92E21D399D50EC47gilgameshdramaturgical analysisturkish opera |
| spellingShingle | İbrahim Şevket Güleç Elif Sanem Güleç Contemporary Interpretation of the Epic of Gilgamesh: Gilgamesh Operas by Nevid Kodallı and Ahmed Adnan Saygun Konservatoryum gilgamesh dramaturgical analysis turkish opera |
| title | Contemporary Interpretation of the Epic of Gilgamesh: Gilgamesh Operas by Nevid Kodallı and Ahmed Adnan Saygun |
| title_full | Contemporary Interpretation of the Epic of Gilgamesh: Gilgamesh Operas by Nevid Kodallı and Ahmed Adnan Saygun |
| title_fullStr | Contemporary Interpretation of the Epic of Gilgamesh: Gilgamesh Operas by Nevid Kodallı and Ahmed Adnan Saygun |
| title_full_unstemmed | Contemporary Interpretation of the Epic of Gilgamesh: Gilgamesh Operas by Nevid Kodallı and Ahmed Adnan Saygun |
| title_short | Contemporary Interpretation of the Epic of Gilgamesh: Gilgamesh Operas by Nevid Kodallı and Ahmed Adnan Saygun |
| title_sort | contemporary interpretation of the epic of gilgamesh gilgamesh operas by nevid kodalli and ahmed adnan saygun |
| topic | gilgamesh dramaturgical analysis turkish opera |
| url | https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/62A8B5A3CEAC4B9C92E21D399D50EC47 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ibrahimsevketgulec contemporaryinterpretationoftheepicofgilgameshgilgameshoperasbynevidkodallıandahmedadnansaygun AT elifsanemgulec contemporaryinterpretationoftheepicofgilgameshgilgameshoperasbynevidkodallıandahmedadnansaygun |