The Weirding Module Aus Licht

For the last 25 years of his life Stockhausen worked on his epic seven part, 29 hour, opera cycle called Aus Licht. A super idiosyncratic Gesamtkünstwerk it was made non-sequentially with it's plot, movement, gesture and lyrics all written from the starting point of his abstract musical composition. The orchestra was replaced by multichannel synth soundracks with instrumental parts written to be performed by his family. The plot revolves around the 3 archetypal figures of Archangel Michael, Luzifer and Eve and their relationship to the human race. Combining serious mysticism with spectacle and comedy, Aus Licht was written for a future opera in which performers were superhumanly skilled and technology was far more advanced. Dancers are asked to move body parts individually to each instrument and spaces are instracted to transform from one to another, along with theri sound characteristics.

Best known for the helicopter quartet in Mittwoch Aus Licht, that opera in particular is so much more. Mittwoch ends with the Michaelion suite in which Luzifer runs for galactic president in the form of a camel. After shitting out seven coloured balls each representing a different day of the week he transforms into Luca, who then uses a short-wave radio to interpret cosmic signals from various alien delegates who present their problems in different languages and with toy instruments.

Performed rarely and sporadically in different parts of Europe these operas have a small yet dedicated following , if you get the chance to see one don't miss it.