COR
Operas
Unwilling to marry a woman, a man fashions a lover from his own left side. He’s enraptured by her perfect beauty – a mirror of his own – until he discovers that this new woman longs for freedom and wildly desires another.
Composer: Juliet Palmer
Librettist: Anna Chatterton
Winston Smith helps Julia after she trips. This seemingly mundane interaction upends Smith’s world when he reads the note Julia slips into his hand. The words carry so much promise- and so much danger, in the context of an authoritarian government.
Composer: Chris Thornborrow
Librettist: Nicolas Billon
The fictional tech company R.U.R., founded by couple Helena and Dom, dominates the A.I. software market and powers the now-ubiquitous androids that serve their human owners.
As Dom becomes more focused on growing R.U.R’s profits, Helena’s creative research leads to an unexpected technological breakthrough that pits the couples’ visions square...
As Dom becomes more focused on growing R.U.R’s profits, Helena’s creative research leads to an unexpected technological breakthrough that pits the couples’ visions square...
Composer: Nicole Lizée
Librettist: Nicolas Billon
Democracy lies dead in a coffin, mourned by two citizens...
"She lies silently in a coffin of ice, arms bound by a flag, eyes sewn together, mouth wired shut...”
But slowly Democracy raises her weak head and begs the two citizens to keep her alive by executing a difficult but necessary task.
"She lies silently in a coffin of ice, arms bound by a flag, eyes sewn together, mouth wired shut...”
But slowly Democracy raises her weak head and begs the two citizens to keep her alive by executing a difficult but necessary task.
Composer: August Murphy-King
Librettist: Colleen Murphy
Content warning: sexual violence, incarceration, religious abuse, homophobia, conversion therapy
Through several vignettes, Forbidden examines the idea of rules and taboos. Do they protect people, or do they control them? Are they of any value, or do they simply exploit the powerless?
A young girl, punished with repetition of religious tex...
Through several vignettes, Forbidden examines the idea of rules and taboos. Do they protect people, or do they control them? Are they of any value, or do they simply exploit the powerless?
A young girl, punished with repetition of religious tex...
Composer: Afarin Mansouri
Librettist: Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
Content warning: political indoctrination, interrogation
Winston Smith is interrogated by a member of The Party about some of his journal entries. In this scene, Smith struggles to differentiate his reality from the reality of The Party.
Winston Smith is interrogated by a member of The Party about some of his journal entries. In this scene, Smith struggles to differentiate his reality from the reality of The Party.
Composer: Chris Thornborrow
Librettist: Nicolas Billon
COR
Excerpts
As Lucifer tries again to get the Child to go with him, the Child finds out who Lucifer is in one of the books of the cell.
Lucifer rebuilds the cage, then tries to convince the audience to join him in self-exile.
The Child creates her own book from pages of other books. She hands out her new rules to the audience.
A watcher looks over a group of faithful. His irritation turns to hatred as he accuses them of subversion. He claims to have proof hidden in some papers, but the Child has destroyed them. The Child proclaims “I know what to do,” and the tension between authority and people escalates. The Child begins taking pages and notes from all the surroundi...
Lucifer is enraged at the unfairness put upon him. The Child sees, and has an idea. Perhaps the system should be broken. When Lucifer realizes the Child has seen his truth, he tries to hide his emotions.
The Child questions Lucifer’s role as tempter, while he tempts with growing intensity. He chastises the Child for bowing to authority. She erupts in anger, pushing the books aside and leaving the cage.
Lucifer jangles an entrancing key in front of the Child and a young boy. This key promises to open the gates of heaven, but the boy has his own doubts about that. Nevertheless, he zips up his vest...
The Child is led back to the book cage, and performers take their places.
The Child is allowed out of her cage, with a warning she can have anyting she wants except for one thing. She asks what it might be, and in a Kafka-esque reply they say, “you know.”
The Child is bored. She reads several books in an effort to learn all the things she shouldn’t do, say, feel, or see. Lucifer simply asks her why, attempting to get her attention on him instead of books. She finds a name, Iblis, and taunts him.
Lucifer taunts the Child in a cell. She doesn't understand what she's done wrong.
The Child is taught a lesson. She attempted to speak her truth, but was met with discipline.
Democracy lies dead in a coffin, mourned by two citizens... But slowly Democracy raises her weak head and begs the two citizens to keep her alive by executing a difficult but necessary task.
Winston Smith helps Julia after she trips. This seemingly mundane interaction upends Smith’s world when he reads the note Julia slips into his hand.
Winston Smith is interrogated by a member of The Party about some of his journal entries. In this scene, Smith struggles to differentiate his reality from the reality of The Party.
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