Spoken word poet and performer Shane Koyczan has been commissioned to write the libretto for a new anti-bullying opera.
The 80-minute opera will be based on Stickboy, his 2008 novel in verse that drew upon his own experiences.
I first approached Shane about this project in December and was so pleased when he enthusiastically agreed to work with us, says James Wright, general director of Vancouver Opera. Capturing the raw emotion and creativity of Stickboy will be an exciting challenge. Im looking forward to the creative process and eager to see this work translated to the stage, with the emotional power that contemporary opera will bring to this moving story.
It will have its world premiere in October 2014 at the Vancouver Playhouse. An adapted version will be developed for touring to schools and community venues as part of the Vancouver Opera In Schools program.
I plan to deliver a passionate and honest story, says Koyczan.
Libretto and music workshops will begin in mid-September 2013. Follow @vancouveropera or Vancouver Opera on Facebook for behind-the-scenes news.
Leslie Dala, Vancouver Operas associate conductor and chorus director, will be the musical dramaturge; award-winning stage director Rachel Peake will be the stage dramaturge.
The music will be written by Vancouver-based composer Jordan Nobles, known for creating music filled with an unearthly beauty (Mondomagazine) that makes listeners want to close (their) eyes and transcend into a cloud of music (Discorder magazine). Nobles first collaborated with Koyczan on We Were Here, which premiered in 2009 at the Firehall Arts Centre, presented by the Cultch.
In 2013, Koyczan collaborated with animators and illustrators to create To This Day, an animated short about bullying.
