Janissary

The Cover of Janissary

**Janissary, A Balkan Rock Opera** is a ninety-minute-long musical written and produced by Paul Shapera, telling a story of the Ottoman practice of taking Balkan children and raising them as Janissary soldiers.

## Cast and Characters

Lauren Osborn as "Brija", Bogdan and Danijela's daughter, stolen as a child by the Ottomans and raised to become a Janissary soldier

Liel Bar-Z as "Danijela", Brija's mother

Paul Shapera as "Bogdan" (credited as being voiced by P.H. Michael) Brija's father

Tomislav M. Čeleketić as "the Black Monk", a monk who heals Bogdan

Paul Shapera as "the Vizier", (credited as being voiced by David Adams) an Ottoman lord steals Brija and trains her up

## Plot

The Vizier's soldiers take Bogdan and Danijela's baby daughter. Danijela weeps over the loss of their daughter *(Taken)*. The narrator sets the stage by telling a story of a land east of New Albion where two gods, White and Black, play a game. She tells of two more gods who came, Order and Chaos, and so a new game was set and the gods had placed their bets. The narrator then explains how Bogdan and Danijela, having lost their baby, screamed and cried and fought *(Introductions)*. Bogdan left the fight and tried to "drink himself to death" *(One More Round)*.

Bogdan headed out to the graveyard to ask his ancestors for help in finding the secret passage to the mountains in the west where the insurgency of the hadjuk was hiding *(The Graveyard)*. Upon finding the insurgency, Bogdan joins them *(The Hajduk (Song))*.

In the meantime, the narrator tells of the taken girl, Brija, and the Janissary where she now stays. Brija misses her mother, Danijela, and can hear voices. She calls for her mother *(Brija)*. During all that time, Brija's mother Danijela cannot bear living with the fact her daughter was snatched from the crib. She is certain she can hear her daughter calling her name and she consults with a priest who tells her it's a gift from the White god. Danijela dedicates herself to the sick children, unable to get over her loss, where she too gets sick and dies *(Danijela's Sacrifice)*.

The Vizier is introduced. His backstory and motives are revealed. He was exiled from his land when a group of bandits tried to attack a Caravan, resulting in all their deaths, but also the death of the Sultan's pet Monkey. Missing his home, he lost the empathy and decided to squeeze as much out of his new lands as he could *(The Vizier)*.

The Vizier locates the hajduk camp and takes his army there. A fight starts and among the hajduk no one but Bogdan survive *(The Battle)*. The focus shifts to Brija again and it is revealed she still hears her mother talk to her despite being dead. Her janissary peers plot to kill Brija but her mother's voice warns her against it and Brija survives the attacks. Everyone is certain she is crazy *(Crazy Girl)*.

As the smoke still rises from the field of battle a hooded man in the night rescues Bogdan and takes him to a monastery in the mountains. He says he is a Black Monk and allows Bogdan to stay and heal. He reveals the people around those parts call them vampires, but they are in fact humans serving the Black god. The Black Monk prepares Bogdan for his journey and praises Bogdan's determination on seeking revenge. He tells Bogdan that the Black god has a purpose for which he chose Bogdan. As Bogdan prepares to leave, the Black Monk tells him there would be a girl by the Vizier's side and Bogdan must slay her, too, and only then return and become one of the monks. As Bogdan leaves he learns ten years had passed since the battle *(Thus Spake the Vampyr)*.

A test of skill is prepared at the Janissary. There would be a trial by combat. All the girls in the Janissary agree that Brija must die. However, Danijela's voice warns Brija, thus when the fight starts all the other girls fall and only Brija is left standing. Brija is met with utter silence in the audience until a single man, the Vizier, stands up and slowly claps. The Vizier congratulates Brija and makes her his personal bodyguard, taking her with him *(Brija and the Test)*.

Bogdan walks for several days toward the Vizier's palace. On his journey he sees people who are long gone. He sees his friends who were killed in battle, his ancestors and finally one who he sees more than anyone else - he sees his wife, Danijela. She asks him where he was when she needed him the most. She tells him he promised to make everything right and asks who he made it right for. Bogdan apologizes to Danijela's ghost and explains that he was "fiery and young, so swept up and in love with [his] own bleeding heart's blood" *(Ruin's Road)*.

The Vizier recognizes Bogdan as the hajduk he once fought. He tells Bogdan not often could that uniform be seen around those parts and offers him lands to tend and money as a token of respect. The Vizier tells Bogdan to settle down and find a wife, and maybe a child as they "make all of life worthwhile." He then tells Bogdan to take the money and go, while he is still alive and if he should refuse the girl would cut him down. Bogdan rejects Vizier's offer and says that the Vizier's stole his baby and thus Bogdan never chose the path of love and that the only legacy he made is "the one he brought there, made in blood." A fight starts and Bogdan cuts down everyone apart from the Vizier and Brija.

Bogdan is soaked in blood while Brija stands between him and the Vizier. She says that the pieces were set and the gods had placed their bets on the three of them. She says that that was how she met her dad even though she did not know it at the time. She only saw a crazy man while he only saw a girl and a blade between him and the revenge he craved. Brija says she doesn't know why all that happened next did. Bogdan lowered his sword and looked at Brija (some say that he knew, but Brija is not certain that's true) and in one move Brija stabbed him in the chest, turned around and then stabbed the Vizier in the neck. She fled the palace, deciding not to be a part of the game the gods were playing. *(The Final Confrontation)*

## Soundtrack

"Introductions" - Brija
"One More Round" - Bogdan
"The Graveyard" - Brija, Spirit Chorus
"The Hajduk" - Bogdan
"Danijela's Sacrifice" - Danijela
"The Vizier" - Vizier
"The Battle" - Brija, Bogdan
"Crazy Girl" - Brija
"Brija and the Test" - Brija, Chorus
"Ruin's Road" - Brija, Bogdan, Danijela
"The Final Confrontation" - Brija, Bogdan, Vizier

## Production

The album was written and produced by Paul Shapera and released on October 3, 2018. It was inspired by the many stories of the Ottoman soldiers taking Balkan children far from their homes and raising them to become the Janissary soldiers.

The album combines the traditional Balkan motifs with its rock genre, making it both familiar and unique.

## Trivia

* Brija would go on to become The Monk who played a never-ending card game with The Gambler which resulted in the creation of New Albion.
* Paul Shapera is not credited among the singers. However, he does sing both the part of Bogdan and the Vizier.
* In the credits the voice of Bogdan is credited as P. H. Michael, which refers to the posthuman Michael.
* The voice of the Vizier is credited as David Adams, the name of one of Paul Shapera's earliest characters. David Adams was featured in *Adams Arc* and would later be known as Raven.
* It was confirmed that the album is set as a play within the established universe. For that reason previous characters are credited as performers.
* Brija is one of the Savior Soul Reincarnation line. The character would later live as Alice, Priscilla, Constance and Rachel.