Composer - Jenni Roditi
Librettist - Lyn Gambles
Conductor - Odaline de la Martinez
Commissioned by Lontano
with funds from the
Arts Council of Great Britain

Subsequent performances:

The Place, London, November 1994.
Colchester, Manchester and Bath, November 1994.
Zagreb Biennale, Croatia April 1997 - British Council.

Synopsis

ASCENT

Act One, The Light - Inanna's Worldly Life

The tale Spinner begins. She carries the spirit of the poetry preserving the original story of Inanna for 5000 years. Enki and Ereshkigal, the forces of light and dark follow with their confronting Divine Battle. Their Storms of Creation finish unresolved and we see the magical Huluppu Tree uprooted, tossed in the river and floating chaotically downstream.

In truly joyful spirit Inanna enters. She rescues the Huluppu Tree and nurtures it back to life. The magical tree gives her Gifts of Power and Sacred Keys to every door. Order is restored. Ten years pass. The magical Huluppu Tree is invaded with unwelcome creatures: a Snake, an Anzu Bird and the strange woman Lileth. The warrior Gilgamesh rids the tree of its invaders. The divine Huluppu Tree is freed and gives Inanna further gifts. Inanna becomes Queen. Her people sing to her in praise. She gives her people the Sacred Keys she herself has been gifted with, including the Keys of Ascent and Descent.

She looks for a 'modern' farmer to marry. Her brother Utu wants her to marry the shepherd, Dumuzi. The shepherd approaches Inanna. Geshtinanna, the shepherd's sister, has an vision that there will be a 'deep dividing' between the couple. Dumuzi seduces Inanna. They marry and have two children. Inanna has risen to the status of a Goddess in the eyes of her people.

Interval….

DESCENT

Act Two, The Dark - Inanna's Soul Life

Time has passed. Inanna feels a strong calling to visit her sister Ereshkigal who chooses to live alone in The Netherworld. Ereshkigal is grieving and angry, unable to come to terms with the untimely death of her husband and children. Dumuzi pleads with Inanna to stay but she knows she must go to her sister

Seven Gates await Inanna as she enters the Netherworld. Ereshkigal demands her sister surrender a symbol of her royal life at each portal. A piece of her jewelry is unceremoniously snatched from her by Ereshkigals' demons. Each piece represents a part of her psyche. Finally, exhausted and yet still defiant Inanna must give up her royal robe. She stands naked before her sister. Inanna is cursed with Ereshkigal's Eyes of Death. She is hung on a meat hook where she slowly dies.

Above, the wise God Enki senses Inanna's plight. He creates two Holy Flies from the dirt under his fingernails and tells them to go below and mirror the pain of Ereshkigal's soul. This will free Inanna. The two Holy Flies slip between the worlds. They instinctively fly to Inanna's corpse. They empathize with the torment of Ereshkigal's soul. She is softened up and agrees to release Inanna - on condition a replacement be sent down! The Holy Flies spit on the corpse and Inanna returns to life.

Inanna's husband Dumuzi has become a drunken fool. On her return to life Inanna chooses him as the replacement. Terrified he tries to escape. The demons are about kill him when Geshtinanna, who has foreseen the 'deep dividing', offers to take her brother's place. This selfless gesture touches Inanna deeply. She announces that Ereshkigal's curse shall be shared six months each, between Dumuzi and Geshtinanna. It is agreed.

An equalization of dark and light is achieved through this sharing solution. The male/female balance is initiated. Ereshkigal must accept that she cannot take control of who it is who enters and leaves her Netherworld. No one has absolute authority or power. Collaboration is the new order of the day.

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