Composer

:

Anthony Louis Scarmolin

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1948

Average_duration

:

59:00

The Caliph is an opera composed by Anthony Louis Scarmolin in 2015. The opera premiered on May 14, 2016, at the Kaye Playhouse in New York City. The opera is a one-act work that tells the story of a Caliph who falls in love with a Christian slave girl. The plot of the opera revolves around the Caliph, who is the ruler of a Muslim kingdom. He falls in love with a Christian slave girl named Zobeide, who is owned by a wealthy merchant. The Caliph offers to buy Zobeide from the merchant, but he refuses to sell her. The Caliph then decides to kidnap Zobeide and take her to his palace. Once at the palace, Zobeide is initially resistant to the Caliph's advances, but she eventually falls in love with him. However, their love is threatened by the Caliph's jealous wife, who discovers their affair. The Caliph's wife orders Zobeide to be executed, but the Caliph intervenes and saves her life. In the end, the Caliph and Zobeide are able to be together, but they must flee the kingdom to escape the wrath of the Caliph's wife. The music of The Caliph is characterized by its use of Middle Eastern and Western musical elements. The opera features a variety of vocal styles, including operatic singing, Middle Eastern-style chanting, and spoken dialogue. The score also includes a variety of instruments, including traditional Middle Eastern instruments such as the oud and the darbuka, as well as Western instruments such as the piano and the violin. The Caliph is divided into several movements, each of which corresponds to a different scene in the opera. The movements are characterized by their use of different musical styles and moods, ranging from the romantic and lyrical to the dramatic and intense. Overall, The Caliph is a unique and compelling opera that blends elements of Middle Eastern and Western music to tell a timeless story of love and betrayal. Its premiere in 2016 was well-received by audiences and critics alike, and it continues to be performed by opera companies around the world.

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