(English: Wednesday from Light) is an opera by Karlheinz Stockhausen in a greeting, four scenes, and a farewell. It was the sixth of seven to be composed for the opera cycle (Light: The Seven Days of the Week), and the last to be staged. It was written between 1995 and 1997, and first staged in 2012.
History
The four component scenes were separately commissioned and premiered: Welt-Parlament (World Parliament) was commissioned by the South German Radio Stuttgart and was composed from 29 December 1994 to 5 March 1995. It received its premiere on 3 February 1996, at the Hegelsaal of the Liederhalle in Stuttgart, sung by the Choir of the South German Radio, conducted by , with sound projection by Karlheinz Stockhausen. Orchester-Finalisten (Orchestra Finalists) was commissioned by Jan van Vlijmen, director of the Holland Festival, and was premiered on 14 June 1996, at the Carré Theatre, Amsterdam, by the Asko Ensemble. Helikopter-Streichquartett (Helicopter String Quartet) was premiered by the Arditti Quartet and the Grasshoppers on 26 June 1995 in Amsterdam, as part of the Holland Festival. Performed "fairly regularly" since its premiere, it has become "the most iconic piece of classical music from the 1990s". Michaelion was composed in 1997 on a commission from Udo Zimmermann for the musica viva concert series of the Bavarian Radio, Munich. The score is dedicated to the Archangel Michael. It was premiered on 26 July 1998 in the Prinzregententheater, Munich (musica viva series) by the Choir of the South German Radio, conducted by Rupert Huber, with Kathinka Pasveer (flute), Michael Vetter (bass with short-wave receiver), Andreas Fischer (bass), Suzanne Stephens (basset horn), Marco Blaauw (trumpet), Andrew Digby (trombone), Antonio Pérez Abellán (synthesizer), and Natascha Nikeprelevic (camel assistant).
The staged premiere of Mittwoch was given by the Birmingham Opera Company on what would have been the composer's 84th birthday, Wednesday 22 August 2012 at the Argyle Works, a former factory in Digbeth, Birmingham, as part of the London 2012 Festival, with further performances on 23, 24, and 25 August. The director was Graham Vick, music director Kathinka Pasveer, designer Paul Brown, lighting Giuseppe di Iorio, and choreography Ron Howell. The production went on to win the 2012 Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Opera and Music Theatre.
The second full staging of the work took place at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in September 2026.
Roles (staged premiere)
+ Role Performer Premiere cast, August 2012 World Parliament The Representatives chorus Ex Cathedra,Jeffrey Skidmore (chorus master) President tenor Ben Thapa Substitute President/Coloratura Eve soprano Elizabeth Drury Janitor actor Khalid Butt sound projection Kathinka Pasveer Orchestra Finalists Oboist oboe Dan Bates Cellist cello Jonathan Rees Clarinetist clarinet Vicky Wright Bassoonist bassoon Amy Harman Violinist violin Debs White Tubist tuba Ian Foster Flutist flute Karin de Fleyt Trombonist trombone Andrew Connington Violist viola Bridget Carey Trumpeter trumpet Bruce Nockles Bassist double bass Jeremy Watt Hornist horn Mark Smith Mummy percussion David WaringactorAnnice Boparai actor Julie JamesactorLuke ElliottactorVicki TayloractorNathan Queeley-Dennisdancer/actorNathan LafayetteactorTanisha ParmeractorHarry SidhuactorBeth DysonactorSaraactorSultan DiMaggio HussainactorThom UdallactorEmma O'BrienactorClaire EggisonactorLeonard Finch sound projection Kathinka Pasveer Helicopter String Quartet First Violinist violin Emma Smith (Elysian Quartet) Second Violinist violin Jennymay Logan (Elysian Quartet) Violist viola Vincent Sipprell (Elysian Quartet) Cellist cello Laura Moody (Elysian Quartet) helicopter pilot Miles Fletcher helicopter pilot Will Samuelson helicopter pilot Alistair Badman helicopter pilot Nigel Barton helicopter pilot Chris Holland (alternate) Moderator moderator DJ Nihal sound projection Ian Dearden Michaelion Operator bass Michael Leibundgut Lucicamel actors Nathan Lafayette, Marie Louise Crawley, Emma Hollick (cover) Flutist flute Chloé l'Abbé Basset Hornist basset horn Fie Schouten Trumpeter trumpet Marco Blaauw Trombonut trombone Stephen Menotti Synthesizer synthesizer Antonio Pérez Abellán The Delegates chorus London Voices,Ben Parry (chorus master) DelegateactorNadia Kemp-Sayfi DelegateactorLiam Hall DelegateactorLizzie Hodges Delegate actor Jake Dorrell Delegate actor Armond Kurti Delegate actor Rushaun Cookhorn sound projection Kathinka Pasveer
Synopsis
Wednesday is the day of cooperation and reconciliation among Michael, Eve, and Lucifer, and its exoteric colour is bright yellow. The following list of 24 "scenic features" of the whole opera is found in the preface to the score of its final scene: Light spirits: Eve, Michael, and Lucifer Divine principles: intuition and harmony Theme: love, friendship, and cosmic solidarity Ritual: beauty and art Beings: humans and the guardian angel Raphael Element: air Sound: singing Voices: soprano, tenor, and bass Instruments: basset horn with flute, trumpet, trombone Organ: brain, speech organ Sense: sight (especially the right eye), pure reason Centre: between the eyes, face, clairvoyance Awareness: understanding, vision, spiritual comprehension Colour: bright yellow, iridescence of all colours. Scents: mastic and frankincense Precious stones: yellow zircon, topaz Metal: mercury Flower: golden yellow rudbeckia Shrub: forsythia Tree: maple, Japanese maples Animals: dove, camel Number: 8 Planet: Mercury Symbol:
Mittwoch is in four scenes, which are preceded by a greeting and followed by a farewell.
Mittwochs-Gruß The Wednesday Greeting consists of the electronic music from the fourth scene, Michaelion, and is played in the foyer amidst flutes, winds, blowers, kites, balloons, and flying doves.
Scene 1: Welt-Parlament
The World Parliament convenes in a session above the clouds, and the subject for debate is love. As the parliamentarians arrive via transparent elevators at the top floor of the skyscraper or floating glass dome, helicopters and doves occasionally pass by in the blue sky beyond. The debate is carried on in unknown languages, with occasional lapses into intelligibility in the local language. Delegates rise to present their interpretations of love, with the President commenting on each view. When a janitor interrupts with the news that an illegally parked car is about to be towed away, the President realises it is his, and rushes out. A coloratura soprano is elected temporary President, and the debate is continued. After a final large vowel spiral, the parliamentarians synchronously declare the central theme of the opera: "World parliament Wednesday from Light, day of reconciliation, love". The session is adjourned, all rise and exit while singing further attributes of Wednesday ("day of spaces", "day of women's rights", "day of Mercury", "day of reconciliation", "day of flying", "day of new languages", etc.) on a G. Unsure where he should exit, the fattest bass stops, turns to the audience in embarrassment, and before leaving stutters, "Now the next scene would follow".
Scene 2: Orchester-Finalisten
Eleven instrumentalists compete for posts in an orchestra, while floating high in the air. Telescopic observation reveals a variety of airborne scenes: a cathedral roof, aeroplanes flying over the sea, ships in a harbour, etc. In the last solo, the double-bass player becomes convulsed in an obsessive-compulsive fit of scraping and groaning, until the appearance of the mysterious figure of a mummy who, with a stroke on a Chinese gong, releases the bassist from his affliction. After all auditions have been completed, a horn player unexpectedly enters the hall, playing a signal, after which all of the players fly upward in a tutti finale.
The solos are accompanied by electronic and concrete music in octophonic spatial projection, and each is associated with a particular image:
Oboe above a cathedral Violoncello over an airport by the sea Clarinet above a harbour with passing aircraft Bassoon over a train pulled by a steam locomotive Violin above a bird reserve Tuba amongst flocks of birds and swarms of bees Flute above a kindergarten with small goats Trombone above a swimming pool with elephants Viola flying with wild geese over a railway station Trumpet over a Marrakesh market-place, with zebras, lions, wild geese, and horses Contrabass above a sailing ship, with tree frogs and a beat up car Horn Orchestral Tutti
Scene 3: Helikopter-Streichquartett
The four musicians of a string quartet are first introduced to the audience by a moderator, who describes the technical details of the performance. The players then walk or are driven to four waiting helicopters, followed by video cameras transmitting back to television monitors in the auditorium.
They are then carried into the air by the helicopters, from where they play a synchronized, polyphonic composition while reacting to the sounds of the rotor blades. Their playing is also influenced by the movements chosen by the pilots. From time to time their playing comes together in the same rhythms and bowings, even though it is plain they are isolated and kilometers apart. Video cameras and microphones transmit their images (including views through the glass cockpits of the world below) and sounds to four towers of video monitors and loudspeakers in the auditorium on the ground.
After returning to the ground and concluding the composition, the musicians and pilots disembark and return to the auditorium, still followed by the video cameras. Once in the auditorium, the moderator introduces the pilots to the audience, and asks players and pilots about their experiences. Questions are also taken from the audience.
Scene 4: Michaelion The Michaelion is a galactic headquarters where a meeting of delegates from different stars has been called in order to elect a new President. He or she must be a "galaxy operator" who can translate universal messages no one else can understand. The scene consists of three sub-scenes.
Präsidium As the delegates arrive, the word goes round that the favourite candidate is named Lucicamel. In the auditorium, someone is listening to a short-wave radio, occasionally mimicking the sounds. After a while, he leaves.
Luzikamel Lucicamel, who is a Bactrian camel, arrives accompanied by a trombonist dressed in white, and is greeted by the delegates. In a series of events, he presents himself to the assembly. "Kakabel". Lucicamel sings of Camael, the angel of the seven planets, and defecates seven differently coloured planet globes, "which emphasize MICHAEL'S light for the seven days of the week". Not all of the delegates are favourably impressed. "Shoe-Shine Serenade". Two tenors polish Lucicamel's left fore hoof until it shines like gold, while two other tenors do the same with his left hind hoof. "Pocket Trick". Lucicamel turns around and abruptly sticks one hoof into his pocket. Two tenor delegates entice him away with a large bottle of champagne and he nearly leaves, but is stopped and brought back by two altos.
"Camel Dance". A little tipsy, Lucicamel and his trombone assistant dance, while he sings the names of stars and sneers at "Sirius philistines who say that Lucicameltrombonut are not musical". The delegates chuckle and make ironic and humorous comments. "Bullfight". Trombonut plays the part of a matador and Lucicamel plays the bull, while the delegates clap and cheer them on. Lucicamel wins, and sits down on the fallen trombonist while a podium is brought in and the women unzip the camel costume. From it emerges Luca, wearing a Zen monk's cape. He is brought a yellow robe, mask, and high, pointed hat. He is acclaimed as President and Operator, and takes his place on the podium.
Operator