TWENTY SEVENTH NIGHT

Full Score

‫ﻝﻱﻝﺓ ﺍﻝﻕﺩﺭ‬ Twenty Seventh Night | A Chamber Opera in 8 minutes

Music

MICHAEL-THOMAS FOUMAI Libretto

SAMIYA BASHIR

Characters Leyla (Soprano) Sagal (Soprano) Assad (Baritone)

Instrumentation Violin Viola Cello Percussion Prayer Bowel (Any pitch) Crotales (F,G#,A) Small Hand Gong Propane Tank Bongos

Program Note This opera was composed as part of the University of Michigan 6x8 minute opera collaboration. Set on the night of April 12, 1991, the 27th day of Ramadan (known as the “Night of Power/Destiny�) at the dawn of the Somali Civil War in Mogadishu, Somalia. Leyla has returned home to rescue her youngest sister, Sagal, who fled the rest of the family in search of their eldest brother, Assad. They must all flee the city to safety before daylight and the return of the traitors who are fighting to overtake the city.

Duration: 8:00

For the UMMA 6x8 Opera Project Collaboration

Twenty Seventh Night Chamber Opera in 8 minutes

LIBRETTO SAMIYA BASHIR

ASSAD (Baritone)

Desolate, senza misura pp Spoken, whispered/out of breath 3" ALONE...ALONE!   (fatigued)  

 

I'VE GOT NOTHING BUT STARS, MY SOUL . . .

THIS BODY STILL WHOLE. WAIT FOR ME!

Percussion

 ASD.

Perc.

 

 

MICHAEL-THOMAS FOUMAI (2011)

Scene 1: Alone

(h=60) Propane Tank



Prayer Bowl



w/ brass mallet f

 



p

 



TRAITORS TOOK OUR CITY, OUR SEA, OUR HOME. (angry)

ff

ord.

2"     Vc.       s.p / ord.

ffp



8 ASD. 

  







song?

s.p.

f

6

ord.



    

gal!

3



can

you hear

 

3

  

our

 



s.p / ord.   

       

ffp



 











song!

p

   Vc.                  ffp 6

     

 A (h=90)

     



mf

ff

Our

  Perc.    ord.

      



Sa -



 

f  



I'VE GOT NOTHING BUT STARS. MY SOUL!

   



A (h=90)

ALONE! (yearning)

2"



   

s.p.

© 2011. Michael-Thomas Foumai. All Rights Reserved (ASCAP) www.michaelfoumai.com

  f

ord.

6

s.p.

6

              f

mf

2 ASD.

(q=180)

2"

 

 

LISTEN FOR ME...HEAR ME! I WAS LEFT FOR DEAD, BUT I'M COMING HOME!

 Perc.  

2"  

WAIT FOR ME! I'M COMING HOME.

WAIT FOR ME!

Prayer Bowl          f 2" 2" (q=180) sul pont.   no trill   3 ord.

3      3 Vc.                   ffp ffp f  B Solemnly (h=60) WE CAN'T LET THESE THE MORNING    TRAITORS DESTROY STAR'S NOT FAR ASD.   THE LAST THING AND I KNOW

  Perc.    

            

   

 

WE HOLD DEAR

WE MUST GO.

Propane Tank

fp

Vln.



f

(h=60)    

B Solemnly vib.  poco    

pp

Vla.

   

p

vib.  poco   

pp

 vib.   poco 

ASD.

Vln.

 

. . . EACH OTHER.





 



 

 







  



 



 







 



 

C



WAIT FOR ME (Lead in)









Here,

a

f

I'm

-

Più mosso, (h=68)

C

-

  

lone,

 a

 -

lone.

(q=q)   

Wait

  



   

 











  

(q=q) Più mosso, (h=68)           



  

 













   

  



  

 







     

mf

Vc.



MY LOVES! DESTINY!

mf

Vla.

I'M COMING HOME, WAIT FOR ME DON'T LEAVE ME HERE ALONE

 





poco accel.  

 

 

p

pp



 

p

 Vc.   



 



mf

poco accel.







   

   

29 ASD. 

Vln.

3

  

 

for

me.

   



  

Vla.





  Vc.  



 A



-



  



-

sul G vib. ord.

 

f espress.





vib. ord.

 

f espress.





vib. ord.   









lone,

wait



















f espress.

 for



 











33 ASD. 

Vln.





  



  

me.

  

Vla.

Vc.

poco rit.



 



poco rit.   



 



 

) 

 

)

 

) 

 

(

 



(





     6

   

 

(

 

) 



(

 

Scene 2: No Time

4

D e.=144   Anxiously,    

LEYLA mp

36

LEY.

SAG.

ASD.



 



No

 

 



time,

4

no

  

 

time,

  











 

  



















       



Bongos w/ hands

Perc.



4:6x

f sempre

  

2

we

2

have

f

  

 no

 

time!



 

 



 

 



 

D Anxiously, e.=144        Vln.                                          p mp p         Vla.        Vc.

  



pp



 





 



 



pp

 

42

LEY.

     

SAG.

ASD.





  



ASSAD pp

    Perc.        Vln.

 



A



   

-

-



 

-

 

 

-

-



 

SAGAL mf  A

  

   

- ssad,

   

 

 

  





mp

-

  



   



   

 



lone.

 

    pp

2

      

We have



2

                                                              mf

 

A-

   





 

no time!

 

 

      

f

f

2

 

 

 

     

LEY.

SAG.

46

     



No 2

   



 





2

A

 -

    2



ssad.

 

 



   

 

 

   



mf

   



A

   Perc.     Vln.

 

time!

 

ssad!

ASD.

 



2



 

 p

     

-

 

mf



                                          f mf

  

 

-



 



2

sings!

He



f

2

-



He



5

 

 

lone.

 



     f

 

 

                  

 

LEY.

    

     



2

2

We have

f

SAG.

sings!

ASD.

f

        

50

     

   Perc.     p

no time!

  

  

2

We must

mf

 

Can't





  re

 

you

pp

 

A

      2

-

  

2

turn!

 



  

E

 2

 





 

  

2

Hear what?



hear



The

him?

   

-

-

 

-

  

    

 

  -

-

    

beasts?

2

No

   f

2

2

                        

2

2

E

2

time!



A - ssad,

 

 

Be - lieve!

He

f









lone!

                     2

  

f

               Vln.   f   fp   2                       Vla.                           f p   p p  poco poco 2 pizz. arco                        Vc.          f 2

f

   



6 LEY.

57

ASD.







sings!

A - ssad,



Vln.

Vc.



SAG.

ASD.

Perc.

Vln.

Vla.

ssad,

  

A - ssad

he





  

  p

A

f



 

 

mf

p

ssad

 





   

   



p

                   

 

 



 

 

      2

-



f

     

 

 

lone,

A

 



 

 



 

  

ff











Can't

you

 

here,

  

I'm

 f



 

here

a



f



2

 

leave

-

    2

pp

f



mf

can't



pizz.

f











 

f

 



 

(x=x)  

 

 

 

yet.

lone!

        

           pp

 2    We

 

Propane Tank

pp



him?



      

 

time.

 

hear

    f



No





p

 

 

 

p

 

 

(x=x)                p

mf

                                                  mp

  Vc.    

-

 

             p p ff                                        p f p

time.

     



   

-



mf

F                           p

 







mp

p

mf

I'm

lone.

    

sings!

 

ffp

No

        

       



   

          





  

 

(Bongo)



62

  

               

  

ff

 



A

 

   





              

 LEY.

-

F  



   

 



  

Vla.

A



 Perc.  



   

 

 

SAG.

 

 



      

LEY.

69

   

Perc.

Vln.

   

No

 

 A

-

 -

  

 

ten!

He

   



      



3

 



 

sings

He

   3

I'm

 

 

ff

A -

ssad! ff

a -

 

lone!

 



   



Bongos





  

here

7



time!

sings





f

f





f

  

      



f



 





No

    

 time!

  





f

  

No time!







                

No time! No time! No

No

No

Time

No

(2+3) (q.=h) ff       time!





 



 

 





 

 



 



 



 



 

f





 

       

 

 

        

f

 

ff

                 





f

Vla.



f

f





f

arco

           Perc.     

Vc.



  

                                                         p sub. p sub.

SAG.

Vln.



f

 

No

f

  G              f p

74

ASD.

  



f

lone!

 LEY.



Lis

ff



G   

time!



      

Vla.

Vc.



  

SAG.

ASD.



f

 

ff

                      f ff

 

      

    

      

      

 

 

 

 

 

Hand Gong

pp

 

(2+3) (q.=h)       

sfz

 

     

sfz

         sfz



 



 

8

H Più mosso, h=72       78

LEY.

  

SAG.

ASD.

   







mp 3

3

   





sul pont.          fp



    

sul pont.

fp



84

LEY.

SAG.

ASD.

Perc.

Vln.

     

He sings

our

 

   

   our

 

 a

song! ff

 

-

lone!

       

f

     

fp

f

fp

f

     Vc.  

-

 

p

mf

  

  

  

p

mf

 

 

  p

mf





mf cresc.



    

song!

Our

 3



Wait

for

song. cresc.

 

  

 

Our



3     

 me,

I am



  

 

f

lone,



e.=144 f       ff

poco rit.              

 

 

mf





3





 3   

here.

I'm co - ming



 

 

fp

  

  

  

fp

fp

fp

  

ord.

 

 

  

ord.  

ord.  

song,



 

 

 

  

fp

 

 

 

fp

 

I

3

home,

fp

Vla.

 

 

      

  

  

poco rit.

   

   



H Più mosso, h=72  pont.     sul       



3

A

fp

Vc.







(Gong)

mf

Vla.

mf

Lis - ten on the wind

       Perc.     Vln.



    

   

We've

   

  I

lost

 



 e.=144       



 

     

 

 

our

bro - ther,

our

our home,

no time

lives,

2



 

to



 



 



 



 



 



 

      ff                            

         

      

        

                                           ff ff

LEY.

88

    

Perc.

Vln.

(x=x)

ff

dream!

    

SAG.

ASD.

J





mf

   A

  

                             

 LEY.

ASD.

Perc.

Vln.

Vc.

 





My

soul,

my



  





fp

poco









   





The nights

        

-

  



thing

but



f

pp



stars,







poco





him?

my







 

              

      pp

poco

Can you hear



     

 3  



A

-

 

 ssad

 

  





(x=x) J q=108                             f                         





mf

soul.

p

  

9

 



  

f

93

No



 

Crotales w/ brass mallet

 

fp

   

p



                                  

   



ssad!

sim.

Vla.



f

 

3

SAG.

q=108    

    mf



fp

Vc.

-



fp

Vla.

 

 



3

Can't

  

you hear

 



soul,

my

 

poco

   



   mf

 



poco





soul,

this



 pp

mf

His



poco

poco

 



pp

poco

    pp

our on - ly safe



 

            

   

him?

  

 

mf



 

poco

     mf

-

 



ty,

3       

   

voice

mf

   



 



is

   

bo - dy

still

     pp

  

 

                          poco 

    pp 

poco

poco

      pp



 

10 LEY.

98

   

   

     

SAG.

     

  Perc.    Vln.



dim.

  

wait

for



 



(Crot.)

   mf

poco p

  



   

 





SAG.

Vln.



are



as

mp

  



A





 

-

  3   and its

p

  

  



  

  



night, p

lone,

 



 



 



 



threads



as

a

    mf

 



-





pp



 

  -

 



mf



 



 



brief.

ppp

   







 



poco



      pp

LEY. NO TIME! WE HAVE NO TIME!

ppp

   



ppp

   



LEY. TO WHAT? I KNOW YOU MISS HIM, YOU TWO WERE SO CLOSE...

SAG. BELIEVE! LISTEN! CAN'T YOU HERE HIM?

lone.

 

 





repeat as needed   

















                                        

pp sempre

poco

 

 

poco

SAG. ASSAD! HE SINGS! BELIEVE! LISTEN

                



poco p

Speak as dialogue

pp

    

Vla.

Vc.



clear

 

night.

Perc.

- ty

mp

me.

 

safe

     



3        

whole,

on - ly

  

                                                       

pp

ASD.

our



mf

       3

dim.



104

LEY.



3

The nights

night,



  

Vla.

Vc.

as

still



  gliss. 

  

whole,

mp

   

3



clear

ASD.

 

p

 

 

pp

   

pp



 

 

K  

LEY. WE HAVE NO TIME SAG. LISTEN! HE SINGS! LEY. NO TIME. PAPA CAN'T LOSE US TOO! SAG. ASSAD! LEY. YOU HEAR A GHOST!

 Perc.   Vln.

 

Vla.

Vc.

 LEY.

SAG.

ASD.

Perc.



 

  

e.=158





 



 



 

 



 



 

   

  

Bongos

f



K e.=158          



 



 





      

 



 

Dictated

   

   

Dictated       Vln.       ff    Vla.        ff

        Vc.     ff



 p                             p ff                      ff

 

p

  PAPA SAID HE HEARD HIS CRY!

 

BUT PAPA NEVER SAW HIM...

(Lead in)

 

 

 

 

 

 

        sfz        sfz

       sfz

      sfz      sfz

     sfz



 

                             

L q=112

  ff

spoken PAPA SAID THEY PRIED HIM FROM HIS ARMS! (Angry)

  

  

 

                     

ff

114

11

 

Die!

 

 

 

  



 



 

fp

     

L q=112

 



 

      



 

      



 

       sfz

sfz

sfz

12 LEY.

118

   

 

We've

  

 



 

sfz sempre

     



 

sfz sempre

   Vc.   



123

LEY.

Perc.

 





 

  

 

   

ten!

Lis



  

 

   



-

ten!



     Lis - ten

   





 

Lis









-

3



here



 

ten! Lis

       

-

   

ten!

Lis - ten!



a - lone!



      ord.    

      

 

    

 

ord.       

  ord.             f 



sul pont.

ord.

fp

f sul pont.

ord.

fp

   



sfz sempre

  

sfz sempre

   

     ord.

f

sfz sempre



Just

once!

  

  

sul pont.

fp

f

ff



   

 





 



 

Lis - ten











    

Lis -



    



                                        Vla.                           Vc.             

Vln.

ff

 

sul pont.

sul pont.



         

   

    



ser!

I'm

   

sul pont.

  

-

  



        -

A - ssad!

 

clo

  

f





SAG.

ASD.



sfz sempre





A - lone!

               

ff



     



   

3

Dan - ger grows

Lis - ten!

   

Vla.



him!



f

Vln.

     f

(Bongos)

Perc.

   lost

  

SAG.

ASD.



f

 

         

    



f

3

    

fp

3

   

f

fp

fp

3

 3

           fp f

     f

         fp f

 



3



f



fp

 

   

LEY.

13

127

  3   3   

SAG.

  

ASD.

   

I'll

lis - ten,

  Perc.    Vln.

Vla.

Vc.

   



just

h=54     

 



  



  

ASD.

   

ff

    Perc.   



mf

M h=54            

pp

pp

   Vc.    pp

   

mfp

-

ff

pp



3



 

night

  



 

f

 

-

-

 

lone

 

pp

 

mf

   

 

   

 

mf

mf

  -





ssad,



if you're



still

3

mf





with

us,

























   

mfp

  

mfp

  

mfp

  

     

mfp

 

mfp

mfp

   

mfp

  

mfp

  

sim.

 

mfp

 



poco rit.    

mp



  

Hand Gong

    

A



-

pp

      

ppp

A



    





pp

     





to

 

     

ff



pp

   

3

   



 

(q=q)      



 

once.



M

SAG.

Vla.

 

 

   

131

Vln.



 

 

 LEY.

 

 

  

(q=q)     





   





poco rit.

   

  

sim.

 

sim.

  

 

    

 

  

   

  

  

14



135

LEY.

 

Perc.



let

us



  3

hear



I

 





 

hear

the wind.

beasts!

 

3      

hear

The

f

 

him?

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



     Vln.                   Vla.        

senza misura  

  

 

 

139

LEY.

  



We have

mf

       3

SAG.

ASD.

Vln.



Li - sten

  

 



h=54   sul pont.               

mfp

sul pont.

mfp

sul pont.    Vc.      mfp

mfp



lost

 

mfp





  

 



ssad!

Just



3

A

-

f



mfp

  

mfp

mfp



3

   



note.

 

senza misura     



one more

I...

   

 



him.

be - lieve



mfp

Vla.

poco

3

h=54

senza misura poco  mf      

h=54

h=54   



  





 



mfp

   

   

I... (mouthing)



 Vc.   

            

mf

Can you



mf

you.





SAG.

ASD.

 

3

senza misura  

    



mfp

mfp

mfp

ALO(NE)...

    



    



mfp



mfp

LEY.

143

Vln.





SAG.

ASD.

15



 



 mp





3

A

 -





ssad

A -

  



mfp





    

   



ssad.

FOR ME...

  





mfp

 

LEY. WE HAVE LOST HIM...

WE'VE LOST OUR BROTHER...

LET GO... LET GO, THE SUN WILL RISE. LOOK INTO MY EYES...

SAY GOODBYE. OR DIE.

 

mfp

  



 



mfp

mfp

Vc.

pp

3

WA(IT)...

    

Vla.



 



Speak as dialogue

mfp

 

 

 

 



mfp





mfp

ord.

 

pp

  





mfp

ord.



pp ord.



pp



LEY.

147

Vln.

Vla.

Solemnly, h=68 

  

SAG.

ASD.

N





p



A -





lone

      p

will

ne - ver

mp



be

  

        

  

 

whole



N Solemnly, h=68                   p      

I

 



    



p

Vc.





   

     

    

   

  

with - out

 





    



     



 



    



  

 poco

 

 

                        

you.



          

16



O

152

LEY.



  

SAG.



  

Vc.

will ne - ver

O         





lone

     

I will



be

whole

mp

    



   



ne - ver

be



with - out you

I

will



with - out

     

poco

ne - ver

            

 

be

    



     



    

 



 

poco

 

you.

p

  

whole.



   



  

  

whole



 



  

  

  

      



 



    

mp

 

     

Vla.

p

    

I

Vln.



A -

p

ASD.



 

A -

  



lone

       

     

       

  

       

        



LEY.

157

SAG.

P    



   



p

3



 

Let



go,



    

mp

A -

ASD.

Vln.



    I

will

P                   mp più

Vla.

ne - ver

be

 

Vc.

        mp più

lone



whole

      



    



   

mp più

let

    I will

go,



ne - ver

 



with - out you

   

    



 



p



mp

3

mp



be

 I

     

let

whole

  

with - out

      

poco

will ne - ver

    

   

be





go,

  

 



whole.

    



     



    

     

mf

    let

go!

poco

 

you.

  

                          



mp

 

You are

    

LEY.

 

SAG.

mp









not



I

not

will



    Vc.  

 

You

are

not

        

    

 

   

time,

we



  





have

   



    







no time





to

dream

   

and

mp





whole.

mp

a - lone.

   

mf





be



Q poco più mosso, h=72      Vln.               mf             Vla.        mf

ne - ver

mf

  

a - lone,



mf

 

  



lone

  



mp

No

 



A -

ASD.

17

Q poco più mosso, h=72 162      

A -

  



a -

I

lone

mf



 am

here.

          

   

     

   

        

    

          

   

     

    



LEY.

166

   

mf

 



cry.

 

SAG.

lone

ASD.



Vc.





No time,



 

          Vla.  

Vln.

mp

 I



can



ne

mf





You

   

     

       

 

-





ver

be



are



not



time



to



whole

 a -

 lone

 

    

   

   

p sub.

poco

no



mf

       poco poco



p sub.

p sub.



  I

  

am

mf





   

   







dream

or



f

cry.

 







mp



go,

   





will

lone

I

can







ne - ver

be

a -

A -

      

 











 





   

I





here!

   

lone



  Let

A -

mp

mp

18



170

LEY.

R

  

       let

go,

let

ASD.

Vln.



whole.

A-

cresc. poco a poco

lone,

I

can

ne - ver

lone

be

   

ne - ver

 

 



 





    I

can

poco accel.      







go,

      I

(f)

     

   let

be with - out you.





go,

(mf)

A - lone

 



let

whole.

 

 

go,

   

 

cresc.

can

 

   

(mf)

R   

Vla.

I

  

      

cresc.

Vc.

be

let

     

      ne - ver



go,

cresc. poco a poco

SAG.

poco accel.

(mf)

cresc. poco a poco

can

ne - ver

be

let

whole

     be

 

 



 



with - out

     

whole

with - out

you.

   

 

 

 



 

 

(f)

(f)



let

   



(f)

(f)

ne - ver

go,

 





 

(f)

cresc.



LEY.

SAG.

175

     



go,

let

   





you.

ASD.

Vla.

Vc.

ff

  

  go.

With

       Don't

Vln.

S A tempo, h=68

poco rit.

leave

poco rit.      

No -

out





me

hear

  

you!

A -

 a





  

 

 

 









  

ff

  

-

 

ff



 time!

 ssad!

 

lone,

   

   

  

  

Let

-

 a

-

3

ssad!

  

S A tempo, h=68            ff

  

go!

A

 

Meno mosso, h=60



   3

A - lone!



     

lone!

p

3

  

We are

p



a - lone,

3

  



p



We are

(q=q)    a -



a - lone,

 3  We are





a -



a - lone,

 a -

   



Meno mosso, h=60 (q=q)      

    

 

 



 





 

 

 

 



 





 

ff



ff

 

LEY.

181

3            

lone,

SAG.

we are

a

-



lone,

we are

a

-

lone,

we are

a

-









lone,



we







 



Vla.

 



 

Vc.

  



 



are





a - lone.



a - lone.













we

are

we





pp

are

pp



a - lone,

  

Vln.



pp



a - lone,

3             

lone,



a - lone,

3            

lone,

ASD.

rit.

a - lone.

        



We



3

are

We



are







We

are

a

3

    ff

-

  a

 3   

- lone!

a 3

19

h=42 ff     

lone!

ff



-

We are

a -



  

3

I





lone!

can 3

You

   are



h=42  



 

 



 



 

 



 



 

  





 

  





 

  





 



rit.  









 

   



  3   

   

186

LEY.

lone,

SAG.

ne - ver

ASD.

     not

  Perc.    Vln.

Vla.

Vc.

 3

be

 a -

3

 

lone,

ne

- ver

  a



be whole



- lone.

  a

  

whole,



   3

poco accel.

poco rit.

  

-



with - out

 I'm



you.

here.

(Gong)

poco rit.

lone.

 

 

 

pp

poco accel.

  



 



 

  



 

                     p



p

f

                p f



      f



 

20

T

h=68        188

LEY.

fff

A

-

fff

SAG.

   



A

ASD.

Perc.

Vln.

   

lone!

-

 

fff

-

ssad!



lone!



f





-



ssad!

 Let

whole

ASD.

    



me







with

out

you!

A - ssad!

Vla.

            

 Vc.   



here.

3

Vln.



 



-

  

more





 



both



note

mourn,

me

I

 

 you

lost

      



A - ssad



we



will ne - ver be



  

here

me.



Don't

   



f



 

f



leave

 



 





 



 













    









    



f



I'm

Here!





 A

-





lone,

tell

U Meno mosso, h=60

 me







you

hear

me.





  







    







  







 

 



 



  







 



f broadly

f broadly

f broadly

 

  

    



 

poco rit.             



f

 

U Meno mosso, h=60



ff









 



 

 

we

  Tell

 

 

ff

lone



 

ff

-



lone

  

 



poco rit.    

go!

molto SAG.

A



 



  



  

one

    

molto

A

just

A

5

ff espress.

   







lone!

      

 

      

-





T h=68                  





I'm here!

193

LEY.

A

  

 

ff espress.

Vc.

A - lone!

A - ssad,

ff espress.

Vla.



  

       A

  

201 ASD.  Vln.



 



208 ASD. 

Perc.

Vln.

Vla.

Vc.

   Don't

leave

  

Vla.

Vc.

21







me

here,

wait



  





 

  







  







           

 

p







Perc.



A

   

213 ASD. 

 



W   

-

mf dim.



for me,

I

  

V         p sub.          p sub.         

 





V   

lone,

 

a

-

 a

                   

 



  

am here

 

p sub.

  



  

 -

lone,

a

     

 

  



   

  

lone,



a

-

 

-

  

lone.

      pp

      pp       pp

lone.



 



    



 



 











    

 

    

 



    

  

ppp



ff

  



ppp

15" 

   

 

Repeat and fade out.

A - lone.

  

Propane Tank

 

    

  

 



 

  



 

ppp

 

    n

     fff poss.

* Hold on trem.

  January 2011 Ann Arbor, MI