The Ukrainian opera GAIA-24. Opera del Mondo has already conquered Rotterdam, Vienna, and now Venice. The 60th Venice Biennale recently hosted a performance by composers Roman Grigoriv and Ilya Razumeiko.
The opera is dedicated to the devastating consequences of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station explosion on June 6, 2023, and has become a symbolic reflection of environmental disaster and war. It combines the themes of Earth and Water in the context of environmental tragedy and military action.
The GAIA-24 opera refers to the ancient Greek goddess of the Earth, Hades, and to the scientific hypothesis that views the Earth as a living organism.
The authors noted that the opera “moves along water routes,” its next stop in Venice, a city on the water, has acquired a special symbolism. A unique location awaited the opera performers in Venice – the Church of San Lorenzo and its centuries-old history, which includes the missing tomb of Marco Polo, the relics of the Pope from Constantinople, a convent with a frivolous reputation, a bell tower destroyed by Napoleon, and a contemporary art gallery.
The opera lasted about 120 minutes and consisted of three acts. The first part, Songs of Mother Earth, featured ethnic music from different nations. The second, Cabaret Metastasis, included plastic scenes with naked bodies. The final part, Dance for Mother Earth, was impressed with various genres, from rap to folk songs.
The next performance is scheduled for Berlin in 2025.
