Contemporary Opera communicated through sound, singing and signing. 

Learning to Listen. Miscommunication. Being Heard.

In Opera we associate communication with hearing and feeling. We sing in many different languages yet there is an incredible sense of receiving the story through acting and expression. As an audience, we add another dimension to this; while we perceive what a character is going through, we add our own experiences. We relate and show empathy so we can understand the story at a deeper level. We use surtitles to try to clarify what’s happening on stage and avoid miscommunication but even with this effort, it sometimes loses nuanced moments that don’t quite translate. 

There are many ways to communicate: verbal, written, harmony and non-verbal such as movement. The most common form of communication is verbal, and English is the most spoken language in the world. If this is your primary way to converse, chances are you have experienced things like music, theatre, conversations and TV with the privilege of hearing and understanding. There aren’t many incentives to have to learn anything else. 

What happens if you take away the words completely and focus on just the harmony? What happens if you focus on a nonverbal expression such as signing? How do we empathise, understand and connect with stories and characters? Contemporary Communication invites all ‘voices’ to be equally received by the audience and welcomes the human right to participate. 

Contemporary Communication consists of an exquisite cast of performers including Young Australian of the Year (2015) Drisana Levitzke-Gray and two returning Perth artists, Jenna Robertson (Soprano) and Lochlan Brown (Pianist). Our Emerging Artist for this project is Bella Marslen (Soprano).