The Cave is a multimedia opera composed by Steve Reich, with a libretto by his wife Beryl Korot . It was first performed in December 1994 by the Steve Reich Ensemble and conducted by Paul Hillier .

Outline of The Cave

Act I:

1. Typing Music (Genesis XVI)
2. Who is Abraham?
3. Genesis XII
4. Who is Sarah?
5. Who is Hagar?
6. Typing Music Repeat
7. Who is Ismael?
8. Genesis XVIII
9. Who is Isaac?
10. Genesis XXI
11. The casting out of Ishmael and Hagar
12. Machpelah Commentary
13. Genesis XXV ( Chanted in Hebrew from the Torah by Ephrim Isaac )
14. Interior of the Cave

Act 2

1. Surah 3 (chanted in Arabic from the Koran by Sheikh Dahoud Atalah, Muqri of Al-Aksa Mosque)
2. Who is Ibrahim?
3. Who is Hajar?
4. The near sacrifice
5. El Khalil Commentary
6. Interior of the cave

Act 3

1. Who is Abraham?
2. Who is Sarah?
3. Who is Hagar?
4. Who is Ishmael?
5. The Binding of Isaac
6. The Cave of Macpelah

External links

Review on the All Music Guide