“The depiction of the women’s collective experience resonated most powerfully in the rhythmic ensemble evocations—sung and spoken—of the soul-destroying daily grind…and the slowly unfolding, overlapping textures of voices yearning for a better life.” — Wall Street Journal
A full-length a cappella opera for 5 soloists and chorus
Produced in co-operation with Center for Contemporary Opera
Music: Juliet Palmer
Libretto: Anna Chatterton
Director: Giselle Ty
Conductor: Lidiya Yankovskaya
Featuring Larissa Koniuk, Jacqueline Horner Kwiatek, Shabnam Kalbasi, Eric McKeever, Patrick McNally and chorus.
Premiere: October 26-27, 2016 at National Sawdust, Brooklyn, New York
“Made in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Italy, China, India…the U.S.A.” Who sews our clothes, who makes our shoes? Where do they live? How much are they paid? What would you dream of, sewing sleeves all day? Is life better in the village you left behind? Sweat is a kaleidoscope of characters and stories collected from factories around the world. Plunging headfirst into the ethical conundrums of the garment trade, the work offers a window into the lives of the unseen millions who work to clothe us and the high-flying designers whose fantasies feed the fashion industry.
Funding Credits
Commissioned by Soundstreams Canada with the support of the Ontario Arts Council.
Workshop 2013 supported by Opera.ca, Soundstreams Canada and Urbanvessel.
Premiere production supported by the Canada Council for the Arts & Center for Contemporary Opera.
Photo: A maquila in Mexico. Photo: Guldhammer. Creative Commons license.
Urbanvessel 