The Outlaw and the King
A two-act opera in English
A modern opera exploring the relationship between Israelite Kings Saul and David.
The opera’s first act takes place in King Saul’s late Bronze Age court in Israel just after a victory on the battlefield.
The second act takes place in Philistine hill country, enemy territory. Its first scene is Saul’s camp outside his tent the night before his last battle; the second is David’s camp outside his tent the next morning, the battle over.
see the video segment on the production of Act II from State of the Arts broadcast 1/16/09 on New Jersey Network
Synopsis
Act I: Zerubbabel, weapons bearer to Israelite King Saul, frets over his master's increasingly troubled state of mind. A brooding Saul, plagued by Hannagail, a chorus no one can see and only Saul can hear. Saul sends Zerubbabel to bring David in the hope that David's singing will calm the mood. David's singing has the reverse effect, especially after Saul's son Jonathan arrives echoing David's song. Saul accuses David of treachery, which David vehemently denies, to no avail: Saul chases David away. When Jonathantries to defend David, Saul chases him away, too.
Act II: Saul has sought David in Philistine country and is now surrounded, facing attack. Jonathan and Zerubbabel miss David. David steals into the camp but cannot bring himself to kill Saul. Zerubbabel and Jonathan discover David and attempt to persuade him to join forces, but David refuses. Inthe morning, David, in his camp, is plagued by the thought of losing Saul and Jonathan in the forthcoming battle. By now, Hannagail has abandoned Saul and adopted David, though unlike Saul, David does not react with fear. Zerubbabel staggers into David's camp with news of the battle, which resulted in the deaths of Jonathan and Saul. David demands the details which Zerubabbel delivers, acoompanied by the ghosts of Saul and Jonathan. It emerges that Saul, wounded, begged Zerubbabel to kill him, which Zerubbabel, relutantly, does. Upon learning this, David becomes enraged and runs Zerubbabel though. Hannagail praises David's act as kingly and proclaims him the chosen one.
Characters
- ZERUBBABEL (baritone), Saul’s husky weapon’s bearer, short and bearded, occasionally called Zubal by Saul, with affection.
- SAUL (bass-baritone), the King of Israel, a tall fighting man of 35 with an obsidian mane of hair and a hardened mien, powerful but somewhat awkward.
- HANNAGAIL, three-voice (SSA) female chorus of the Decider, onstage but unseen by all, and heard only by Saul (Act I) and David (Act II).
- DAVID (tenor), Saul’s son-in-law and favorite warrior and singer, a beautiful, slightly ruddy young man of 20, shorter than Saul, with graceful moves and a charismatic, tightly-wound athletic presence.
- JONATHAN (baritone), Saul’s son, the Prince, about the same height and age as David, but finer boned and sinewy, capable of climbing a rock cliff and garroting an enemy sentry.