“Once upon a time in the kingdom of Persia there lived two
brothers. The older, Kassim was wealthy men while his younger
brother Ali Baba, was very poor. One day, while looking for fi rewood, Ali Baba heard the sound
of hooves. He knew that thieves and robbers were common in
this part of the forest, so he quickly hid his mules and climbed
up the nearest tree.
The horsemen, forty of them altogether, were indeed robbers!
He watched a bandit carry bags of plunder to a stone wall and shout: “Open Sesame!” As if by magic, a door opened in the rock..."
This well-known Persian tale, from the collection “1001 Arabian Nights” tells the story of Ali Baba and his discovery of a cave of wonders as well as the dangers that he encountered and bested, with the help of his servant, Morgiana.
The work, by American composer Jason Gray, was originally commissioned for performance with the Vienna Boys’ Choir and can be performed with choir or without. The music incorporates Persian scales and historical instrument sounds and utilizes both violin and piano in a variety of fashions. |
