City Opera Vancouver presents the Canadian premiere of Sophia’s Forest, May 29 – June 1 at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts.
The first project in a multi-year initiative that will aim to showcase and explore the stories and experiences of newcomers to Canada, Sophia’s Forest is a powerfully evocative chamber opera by composer Lembit Beecher and librettist Hannah Moscovitch. Directed by Julie McIsaac, under the baton of COV Artistic Director Gordon Gerrard, the groundbreaking one-act opera explores timely themes through the story of a young girl, Sophia, who flees civil war and settles in a new country. The titular role of Sophia will be brought to life by two performers: Canadian soprano Elena Howard-Scott as adult Sophia, and Arya Yazgan, as young Sophia.
“This is not a work that provides easy answers, but it does offer a powerful reminder of our shared humanity,” says Gordon Gerrard, Artistic Director, COV. “In a time when it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by global conflict, Sophia’s Forest invites us to connect to the individual stories behind the headlines. Composer Lembit Beecher and librettist Hannah Moscovitch have created a deeply resonant story– one that speaks to empathy, resilience, and the enduring capacity for hope amidst even the darkest circumstances.”
Sophia’s Forest draws inspiration, not just from a single true story but from the lived experiences of many who have endured war, loss, and displacement. Through the fractured lens of Sophia’s memory, the chamber opera speaks to the human cost of conflict and the strength required to overcome adversity. Its intimate setting and small ensemble help to magnify the emotional intensity, offering audiences a space for reflection and deeper understanding.
The production integrates live performance with innovative projections by Wladimiro Woyno and an array of mechanical sound sculptures, created from bike wheels and wine glasses, that are controlled remotely in real time by the composer Beecher. These sounds and images blur the line between literal and symbolic as they conjure vivid memories and dreams from Sophia’s past: the ring of a wine glass becomes a child’s voice; the whirr of a bike wheel evokes fluttering wings. Accompanied by a live string quartet, the result is a haunting, immersive soundscape unlike anything else in contemporary opera.
For its Canadian premiere, Sophia will be performed by soprano Elena Howard-Scott, Anna (Sophia’s mother) will be performed by Adanya Dunn, and Wes (Anna’s partner) will be performed by Luka Kawabata. Young Sophia will be performed by Arya Yazgan, and Emma (Sophia’s sister) will be performed by Audrey Gao , both members of the Vancouver Bach Family of Choirs.
City Opera Vancouver’s presentation of the Canadian premiere of Sophia’s Forest, runs May 29 – 31, 2025 at 7:30pm and June 1, 2025 at 2pm on stage in Studio Tat SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, 149 W Hastings Street. For details and tickets visit cityoperavancouver.com/season/sophias-forest