THE RIDDLE
THE riddle
Composed by TAMAR MUSKAL
libretto by DANIEL KRAMER
As the human race travels beyond the boundaries of the Heavens itself, so shall our mythology need to travel new distances to speak to the myth of modern man. THE RIDDLE examines the Biblical myth of Hagaar, Isaac and Sarah from tomorrow’s perspective: as the entitled inhabit space and a suffocating earth, what will the common man and woman do to survive.
CREATORS
“Classical music doesn’t get better than this” and “One of the fresher voices…” declares the NY Times about Guggenheim Fellow Tamar Muskal’s music. Muskal’s music was performed by the Jerusalem Symphony, Westchester Philharmonic, Richmond Symphony, American Composers Orchestra, Richard Stolzman, Borromeo String Quartet, Colorado String Quartet, Steve Schick, Music From Copland House, Eighth Blackbird, Ethos Percussion Group, and many others.
From 2002-2005 Muskal was Composer-in-Residence of the education division with the Westchester Philharmonic. In that capacity she wrote pieces for narrator and orchestra based on poems and drawings by children from Westchester.
A strong interest for incorporating interactive art into her composition has led to multiple collaborations with artist Daniel Rozin; together they created Mirrors, a piece for Eighth Blackbird with interactive and live videos; Facing the Automaton, a concerto for Steve Schick and the La Jolla SummerFest players for solo percussion, interactive kinetic sculpture and ensemble; and they are currently working on a piece for solo soprano, interactive kinetic sculpture and orchestra for the American Composers Orchestra.
Tamar Muskal
Composer
Daniel Kramer is the former Artistic Director of English National Opera. He was previously a Creative Associate at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Associate at the Young Vic and Gate Theatre Notting Hill, and a NYC Drama League Fellow. His award-winning work has been seen around the world including China, Taiwan, Australia, Russia, New York and across Europe. He has been a visiting faculty member at Harvard, Brown, Northwestern, New York University, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, and the University of Music and Performing Arts, Graz, Austria.
Daniel Kramer
Librettist
ARTISTIC STATEMENT FROM COMPOSER TAMAR MUSKAL
I will be setting Daniel Kramer’s sensual and imaginative libretto to a sound world of exotic timbres, sensual frame drums, a live beatboxer, and a powerful electronic soundtrack, performed by an exceptional group of artists, including Raehann Bryce-Davis of the Metropolitan Opera in the leading role.
Information
Duration 1 Hour and 45 Minutes
Commission The commissioning of Tamar Muskal for THE RIDDLE received funding from OPERA America’s Discovery Grants for Female Composers program, supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. THE RIDDLE will receive a public workshop produced by AOP in April 2026 at the DiMenna Center, Cary Hall.
Premiere TBA
Roles 6 singers (coloratura soprano, soprano, mezzo, countertenor, baritone, bass)
Instrumentation Frame drums, beatboxer, chamber ensemble and electronics