Forbidden began in a collaboration between Michael Mori and composer Afarin Mansouri, joined later by librettist Donna-Michelle St. Bernard. The three began with the question, “What is forbidden?" This interrogation produced over forty different story ideas, which were pared down into a number of vignettes. These included personal stories by Mansouri and St. Bernard, elements of which were incorporated into the libretto.

While collaborating on the music, Mansouri and St. Bernard discovered an overlap in their process that allowed for new and innovative ways to create. Mansouri had focused on rhythm being the basis of the opera’s music. St. Bernard, coming from rap, spoken word, and hip-hop, shared that basis.

Works in the Tapestry Explorations TAP:EX series largely focus on what isn’t “supposed to” go with opera. As such, Forbidden was developed to challenge its audience as well as its own genre with a fusion of styles. Composer Afarin Mansouri chose Persian classical instruments to simultaneously deliver thematic material and “refresh the ears of the audience.”

"The journey for this opera started with a word, and frustration over a Trump travel ban. Afarin had approached me about a number of projects and as we sat down to talk through them, the word "forbidden" came up. Apparently, it is still forbidden for women to sing in public in Iran. The word was so deep and provocative that it took over our conversation... Forbidden immediately felt like the right start for TAP:EX, and quickly the idea for integrating rap/spoken word, a genre with a great empowerment and social justice history, became the natural way forward. Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, a LIBLAB graduate and celebrated playwright who is also a powerful rapper and spoken word artist, met Afarin and the rest is here for you to see today..."

- Michael Mori

“[Persian and hip hop music] both share an aspect of spontaneity within an apparent structure. They are forms that prioritize individuality and have elements of a resistance tradition inside of them, and that very much speaks to the themes of Forbidden... The forms of music that we’re using speak to me of the pursuit of individualism within a rigid structure, and sometimes against that rigid structure.”

- Donna-Michelle St. Bernard

“This opera means a lot to me, from its story and style to its cast and musicians. The subject matter made me another person. We spent a few months researching the subject of Forbidden and found so many true stories; some horrifying, some sad, and some funny. We found almost twenty categories in which forbidden was applied to race, gender, social politics, and religion, among other things. It was so hard to select only a few categories. Some things that are forbidden in one culture, are a norm in another culture. The barrier is lack of knowledge about what is not familiar to us. It is the knowledge that becomes that forbidden fruit. The more we learn, the less we judge. [Forbidden] is also very important to me as a composer with a Persian background: opera was a genre being banned in Iran after the 1976 Revolution. I feel blessed to be able to create and to see the performance of my opera.”

- Afarin Mansouri, to John Gilks

"...undeniably powerful..."
- Jenna Douglas, The Globe and Mail

"...a tantalizing glimpse into what sorts of new fusions of styles are possible."
- John Terauds, The Toronto Star

"Forbidden is a great example of how to let opera evolve..."
- Jen Norman, Mooney on Theatre

"...a modern opera breaking taboos..."
- BBC World News (video)

"...a well executed mashup..."
- Schmopera

"...a musical and dramatic kaleidoscope which is intriguing, musically satisfying, and dramatically engaging."
- John Gilks, Opera Ramblings

Forbidden - Tapestry Opera
Forbidden - Program