Music by Layale Chaker
Libretto by Lisa Schlesinger
Direction and Dramaturgy by Omar Abi Azar and Maya Zbib
Conducted by Kamna Gupta
Scene Design by Joelle Aoun
Costume Design by Sarah Leterrier
Lighting Design by James Ingalls

Loosely based on the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone, Ruinous Gods explores the psychological toll experienced by displaced refugee children. This vital world premiere opera follows a desperate mother’s attempts to revive her 12-year- old daughter who has fallen into a non-responsive sleep triggered by trauma. The child’s journey through an underworld-inspired dreamscape forms the backdrop for a groundbreaking score that weaves Arabic maqam and Western classical music traditions with diverse Middle Eastern influences, jazz, and improvisation. At turns painful, humorous, and hopeful, Ruinous Gods urges crucial conversations about how governments and societies treat migrant families.

Attendance at all events is subject to the Festival security policy.

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