A chamber oratorio for a singer, an actor, piano, double bass, and percussion.

A dream, dreams, the desert, prison, Egypt, a journey through life toward reconciliation. Joseph’s journey is a journey of discovering God’s presence. His story is also a tale of envy, suffering, and the intricate paths of human existence.

The central character of the composition is the “Reader,” a role shared between a singer and an actor. This duo guides the audience through the story of Joseph as recorded in the Old Testament. The composition focuses on chapters 37 (Joseph and His Brothers), 39–41 (Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife; Joseph Interprets the Dreams of Two Fellow Prisoners; Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams). The narrative, which generally follows the biblical text literally, includes several interludes that expand upon the original story. These interludes feature Joseph’s dreams foretelling his rise to the position of ruler of Egypt, a paraphrase of Psalm 130 Psalm “De profundis,” through which the composition responds to Joseph’s casting into the pit, and an imaginary confrontation between Joseph and Potiphar’s wife as she seduces him.

Performers: Jan Mikušek (tenor/countertenor), Jakub Gottwald (narrator), Matouš Hejl (piano), Petr Tichý (double bass), Antonín Procházka (percussion)

Additional texts: Tomáš Peřina, Matouš Hejl