Costume Designer

Set Designer

Blood of the Glacier explores the profound repercussions of climate change. In the near future, the accelerated melting of the ice caps releases toxic red algae, attracting destructive mountain tourism upstream and contaminating waterways downstream. At the heart of this chaos, a disoriented family tries to find its way back to each other, swept away by a story beyond their grasp—that of the climate and of all humanity. Between past and present, between humans and the Earth, a quest for reconciliation emerges. This intimate tale, carried by a lyrical and musical form with strong poetic resonances, becomes a collective space for reflection and dialogue.

This opera will be performed in a town square in an Opera Truck, the structure of which is made up of three modules: a stage, stands and a marquee-shaped extension with a reception area for the public.

Le Sang du glacier

Camion Opéra

Under a country’s authoritarian regime, being gay is a harshly punished crime. A crime for which Zylan, a young pop singer, is persecuted, tried, imprisoned, and at last forced to name names during numerous interrogations. Zylan Won’t Sing Anymore is a monodrama, a rare form of opera centred on the character and baring his every thought. Composer Diana Soh and librettist Yann Verburgh wished to create an opera fit for all, especially for teenagers, a sung piece on a major current issue, still underrepresented in the field of opera: homophobia. The piece blends music with spoken and sung voice and recounts the sealing of Zylan’s fate through the performance of a tenor and three musical instruments – cello, guitar, and percussion. This thought-provoking opera echoes the abuse suffered in our own world by those whose sexual orientation is seen as dissident.

Zylan Won’t Sing Anymore

Opéra National De Lyon

Olympe de Gouges was a brilliant woman of letters of the Enlightenment and French Revolution era. This brave, bold pioneer spent her entire life fighting against domination and for the emancipation of women, social justice, children’s rights and the abolition of slavery. With a libretto by Violaine Fournier, the piece recounts Olympe’s heroic journey through the lens of middle-school students who decide to create a play on her inspiring fights with the help of their history teacher. With music by Isabelle Aboulker, whose work on Levant Children has already been performed last season, the Opéra de Lyon is happy to present this show tailored for young audiences, featuring a children’s choir embodied by the Maîtrise – our singing school. For this production, the Maîtrise students are directed by Odile Grosset-Grange, the newly appointed director of the Théâtre Nouvelle Génération in Lyon. Together, they are doing their part to make sure Olympe de Gouges’ struggles and their phenomenal influence on our society keep on being recounted.

Costume Designer, Set Designer

Stephan Zimmerli

Events

Upcoming events

26 - 29 Jan, 2027

Zylan Won’t Sing Anymore · Opéra National De Lyon

22 - 28 May, 2027

Olympe the Rebel · Opéra National De Lyon

Past events

16 - 19 Jun, 2026

Le Sang du glacier · Clermont Auvergne Opéra

About

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