Two people in colourful silk clothing and elaborate headwear look at the camera.

Opera for the Dead (祭歌)

Tickets

Presented by Asia TOPA, Arts Centre Melbourne

Opera for the Dead (祭歌)Mindy Meng Wang and Monica Lim

A contemporary Chinese cyber-opera that reimagines the connection between life and death.

Dates

2123 February 2025

Venue

Space 28, Southbank Campus, University of Melbourne

World premiere.

Wander through an immersive music and visual experience.

Opera for the Dead (祭歌) harnesses old and new technologies to explore the connection between life and death.

Created by award-winning composer and Guzheng artist Mindy Meng Wang and sound technologist and composer Monica Lim, Opera for the Dead (祭歌) is inspired by Chinese mourning rituals but speaks to our common experiences of death, mourning and ancestry.

This multi-artform performance combines live musicians and singers with electronic processing, ambisonic sound, 3D animation and movement. Audiences are invited to move freely through the performance space as it transforms from stage to cinema to dance floor, journeying between the real and imaginary, past and present.

Opera for the Dead (祭歌) examines the many contradictions that exist in our traditions around death: the tension between spirituality and materialism, the eternal versus digital convenience, and the contrast between our experience of grief and the way it is performed. This epic new work highlights the beauty within anguish and finds humour in the macabre.

Age recommendation: This show is recommended for persons 10 years and older.

Please note: This is a standing event that encourages audiences to move around the space. Chairs are available for those who do not wish to stand. The show also includes low lighting, bright lights, flashing lights, theatrical haze and sudden noises.

Creative Australia 1
APRA
Playking Foundation
University of Melb
Abbotsford Convent
City of Melbourne - White

Images: Dewie Bukit