Kopernikus (Vivier)

Rituel de mort; translated as Ritual of Death) is a 1979 opera in two acts by Canadian composer Claude Vivier, inspired by the astronomer of the same name.

The opera was completed on 14 May 1979, and first premiered only in its musical form on 8 May 1980 at the Théâtre du Monument National in Montréal, under the conductor Lorraine Vaillancourt.

[2] The notes given by Vivier in the finished manuscript, with English translation below: Le personnage central est Agni; autour d’elle gravitent des êtres mythiques (représentés par les six autres chanteurs) tirés de l'histoire: Lewis Carroll, Merlin, une sorcière, la Reine de la nuit, un aveugle prophète, un vieux moine, Tristan et Isolde, Mozart, le Maître des eaux, Copernic et sa mère.

[2]The main character is Agni; mystical beings borrowed from stories (represented by the other six singers) gravitate around her: Lewis Carroll, Merlin, a witch, the Queen of the Night, a blind prophet, an old monk, Tristan and Isolde, Mozart, the Master of the Waters, Copernicus and his mother.

It is scored for seven vocalists who double as percussionists (similar to the chamber compositions of George Crumb), and pre-recorded tape.