"She drove thine enemies away, she averted seasons [of calamity], she recited formulae with the magical power of her mouth, [being] skilled of tongue and never halting for a word, being perfect in command and word. Isis the magician avenged her brother. She went about seeking him untiringly. She flew round and round over the earth uttering walling cries of grief,
and she did not alight on the ground until she had found him. She made light [to appear] from her feathers, she
made air to come into being by means of her two wings, and she cried out the death cries for her brother.
She made to rise up the helpless members of him whose heart was at rest,
she drew from him his essence, and she made therefrom an heir."
Pyramids Texts. Hymn to Osiris.
JAMES S. WESTERMAN
is the USA scientist and researcher, who started his exploration of Osirion scince 1986 and continues till the present time, being a friend and partner of the International organization - ISIDA Project.
[RUS] Американский ученый, друг и партнер Международной организации - Проект ИСИДА занимающийся исследованиями Осириона (Абидос, Египет) с 1986 года по настоящее время.
Story
Либретто
"Osiris and Isis"
"Осирис и Исида"
(The Ballet)
(оригинальный текст автора)
CHARACTERS
Osiris – Pharaoh of Egypt Isis – Wife of Osiris Seth – Brother of Osiris Seth’s Alter Ego – His Dark Side Nephthys – Wife of Seth, Sister of Isis Horus – Son of Osiris and Isis
PLOT SUMMARY
Isis and Nephthys walk downstage while holding a small pile of dirt with a small growing plant which signifies new growth and the agriculture Osiris has taught his people, the key development that led to the rise of the Egyptian civilization and his position as Pharaoh.
Osiris enters looking out over his land with a proud sense of accomplishment. He dances with pride and shows his love of the land and his realm.
Seth watches his brother from afar. Osiris sees his brother and invites him to play as they did as young boys. We see the love of brother to brother, remembered and exchanged. Both Osiris and Seth are ignorant of Seth’s dark side.
Isis and Nephthys are sisters and wives of Osiris and Seth. They show their love toward their husbands. Isis runs to Osiris’ arms. Their love is pure and passionate. They have a simple love scene and fall asleep in each other’s arms.
That night the dark Alter Ego of Seth intrudes on Seth as he is thinking. Slowly he corrupts Seth. Quietly Seth and the Alter Ego make their way into Osiris and Isis’ sleeping chamber. Isis is awakened by uncomfortable feelings. She finds Seth, but his Alter Ego intrudes and puts her into a dreamlike trance. Seth studies his brother and manipulates his body in order to take measurements. He is plotting to build a coffin to trap Osiris. Seth struggles with the love he has for his brother but his Alter Ego suppresses this love.
Seth completes his measurements and slowly slips away into the night.
Nephthys enters the bed chamber and is envious of the love Osiris and Isis have for each other. Osiris and Isis awake. They leave behind Osiris’ royal necklace. Nepethys sees the royal necklace and picks it up, uncertain what to do with it. She takes it to her husband, Seth, and there she encounters his Alter Ego for the first time. The Alter Ego takes the necklace from her and places it on Seth as if to make him Pharaoh. Nephthys is seduced into becoming part of their conspiracy. All three of them build the coffin.
Osiris enters and Nephthys convinces him to lie in the coffin. Once inside, Seth and the Alter Ego nail the coffin shut. The co-conspirators rejoice that their plot has succeeded. Seth tosses the coffin into the Nile River to be rid of Osiris. We witness Osiris drowning until he is exhausted and surrenders to his fate.
Isis seeks to find Osiris’ body in order to bring it back to Egypt. She finds Osiris in the form of a tree. She changes the tree into his bodily form and takes it back with her to Egypt.
Isis returns to the court and hides the body within the grounds of the palace. Isis then leaves feeling Osiris is safe. The Alter Ego finds the body and informs Seth. Seth goes into a dark rage. He and his Alter Ego proceed to tear the body of Osiris apart. Seth, exhausted from his actions, encounters Nephthys who is appalled by Seth’s behavior.
Isis, innocent of what Seth has done, enters and Nephthys tries to keep Isis from seeing Osiris’ mutilated body. Isis is overcome with grief, and Nephthys helps her to collect the body parts.
Isis discovers Osiris’ head and torso intact and places her arm around his neck and kisses him. She starts to heal him with gentle touches of each body part until he is whole again. Osiris is resurrected, and as a culmination of his resurrection he impregnates Isis.
Isis informs Nephthys that she is with child.
In time Isis has a son, Horus. He is visited by the spirit of Osiris who teaches him all the great things that warriors should know. Finally he is ready to defend his father’s honor against Seth.
Horus and Seth see each other for the first time and their battle begins. The Alter Ego enters and the struggle becomes two against one. Horus is nearly killed, but at the crucial moment the spirit of Osiris enters and vanquishes the Alter Ego. Horus defeats Seth and banishes him to the desert.
Horus sits on the throne with Isis and Nephthys at his side. Osiris is avenged and returns to the afterlife.
