Archaeology on the Opera Stage

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Rare, if ever, is it that an archaeological excavation in the Holy Land is the backdrop for an opera. But that is the case in the opening scene of a new opera that received its premiere at the prestigious San Francisco Opera last June. Called The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, score and libretto by veteran opera composer Mark Adamo, the opera reimagines Jesus’ life through the eyes of Mary Magdalene during the time leading up to his crucifixion. Adamo’s work, inspired by the Gnostic Gospels, presents the Magdalene as Jesus’ most important disciple—and also his wife.^a

In the opening scene, five modern-day Christians, called “Seekers,” are at an archaeological excavation in the Holy Land. Frustrated by contemporary Christianity’s traditional attitude toward sex and the subservient role of women, they are nevertheless unwilling to fully abandon the tradition. The anguish of the Seekers summons a chorus that promises to “correct and complete” the story with recently discovered versions of the New Testament.

The Magdalene is introduced with lines borrowed from the Song of Solomon, the Old Testament book commonly interpreted as a celebration 013 of human love. Mary’s lover’s wife is about to punish Mary when Jesus, called by his Aramaic name Yeshua, saves her. Mary joins Yeshua’s group of followers; months later Mary and Yeshua get married. Mary, a strong, sensual, intelligent woman, helps Yeshua to see the moral dignity of women; he, in turn, helps her to distinguish love from possession. The ending of the opera follows the Gnostic text The Gospel of Mary: Descending into Yeshua’s crypt following his crucifixion, Mary has an extraordinary vision.

In contrast to many Biblically themed operas that do not focus on theology, Adamo’s Mary Magdalene exploits the differences between the traditional canonical Gospels, the Gnostic Gospels—which contradict much of the New Testament—and modern, sensationalized interpretations of Christian Gnosticism. Appropriately, the opening scene of the opera—set at an archaeological dig—sets the stage, so to speak, for Adamo to reexamine—and reimagine—Mary Magdalene’s role in Biblical tradition.

Rare, if ever, is it that an archaeological excavation in the Holy Land is the backdrop for an opera. But that is the case in the opening scene of a new opera that received its premiere at the prestigious San Francisco Opera last June. Called The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, score and libretto by veteran opera composer Mark Adamo, the opera reimagines Jesus’ life through the eyes of Mary Magdalene during the time leading up to his crucifixion. Adamo’s work, inspired by the Gnostic Gospels, presents the Magdalene as Jesus’ most important disciple—and also his wife.a In the opening […]