Licht, Die sieben Tage der Woche (1977-2003) from Karlheinz Stockhausen : autobiographical aspects and intertextuality ; Licht (1977-2003) de Karlheinz Stockhausen : aspects autobiographiques et intertextualité

Licht. Die sieben Tage der Woche (1977-2003) is a cycle of seven operas composed by Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928-2007) who also wrote the libretto. The main topic of the cycle is the cyclical fulfilment of the destiny of three spirits – Michael, Eva and Luzifer – whose destiny is related to the characteristics of each of the seven days of the week. A multitude of events will however be added to the main story, making the progress of the action sometimes difficult to understand. Our thesis, mainly focused on the libretto, aims at studying the autobiographical elements and the intertextual relationships throughout each opera in order to identify the elements of unity into the cycle. The first part of this thesis is dedicated to a general presentation of the Licht project and to the libretto and characters’ introduction. The cycle follows indeed in the footsteps of Stockhausen’s work, including parts based on the principle of a formula and those appealing an extra-musical theme. A study of the autobiographical dimension of the operas follows. In this part, we particularly establish the link between the desire to deliver a universal, cosmic and timeless message and the evocation of the composer’s memories, travels and influences. Finally, our work closes with an analysis of the religious, philosophical and esoteric dimensions of the cycle. Stockhausen has indeed been deeply influenced by the Asian cultures and religions, in particular from India and Japan. There are other influences like The Bible, but also esotericism and the significant influence of many new-Christian movements and books like the Urantia Book. Under the guise of focusing on the relationships between the three main characters, Licht becomes a summary of Stockhausen’s life and work. ; Licht. Die sieben Tage der Woche (1977-2003) est un cycle constitué de sept opéras composés par Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928-2007) qui en a également conçu le livret. Le cycle a pour thème principal l'accomplissement cyclique du destin de trois esprits – Michael, Eva et ...