With Uprising, Opera Zuid, in collaboration with De Nationale Opera and Het Geluid Maastricht, presents a large-scale community opera that addresses one of the defining issues of our time: the climate crisis, and above all the conversation surrounding it. On the streets, in politics, around the kitchen table, across generations and in the school playground.

Uprising is about young people rising up for climate action, for change, and their plea for a better world. The opera tells the story of a mother and daughter who are diametrically opposed to one another, and shows how social tensions play out in personal relationships. It is a deeply human story about listening, clashing and living together.

 

Directed by Gable Roelofsen and Romy Roelofsen, Uprising becomes a collective experience. A choir of a hundred community singers and six professional soloists together form a mini-society on stage. Professionals and amateurs stand side by side: everyone contributes to the story and the imagery. Romy: ‘Singing together begins with listening. Where listening is linked to this (climate) theme, it serves as an example of how the world could also look.’ Gable: ‘The social friction becomes part of the music’s emotional impact. Uprising is about dealing with unrest and inequality.’

Jonathan Dove’s music is grand, lyrical and direct in its emotional power. The powerful choral singing and rich orchestral sounds make Uprising a compelling opera experience, both in the auditorium and on stage. Gable: ‘The energy bursts from the stage and there is a great deal of movement in the piece.’ Romy: ‘That is due to the impact of the subject matter and the people who perform it with heart and soul.’