the heart of a diva beats in every social justice warrior’s chest
Coming
November 2022
‘Did I Just Say That?’ is a new chamber operetta by Valerie Sing Turner (librettist) and Katerina Gimon (composer). This short comedy explores the challenges women of colour face when engaging with operatic works and characters.
The Opera
A friendship is tested when Cecilia, a white composer, tries to convince her roommate, Gabriella, a writer of colour – who has just returned home from a #MeToo moment with a TV producer – to enter a new opera competition together. Their debate about the whiteness of opera, the problematic portrayal of racialized women, and whether they should enter the competition devolves into a “diva-off” that features musical quotes from some of the most famous arias in the canon.
Inspired by actual events, the 20-minute comedic operetta explores themes of feminism, racial intersectionality, and what it means to embody artistic risk in a patriarchal society in which women must diminish or silence themselves in order to get ahead. We believe the heart of a diva beats in every social justice warrior’s chest!
Co-creators
Valerie Sing Tuner
Katerina Gimon
Perri Lo
Debi Wong
Librettist, Director
Composer
Musical Direction
Dramaturgy
Performers
Emma Parkinson
Eva Tavares
Mezzo-Soprano
Soprano
Co-commissioned by re:Naissance Opera & Visceral Visions
