First Italian Opera About Transgender Community to Premiere

A new opera by the young Bulgarian composer Milen Apostolov is set to premiere at the Church of San Pietro in Verona, Italy. Titled "(m)0rpheus," the opera is the culmination of several years of research by librettist Sebastiano Bazzichetto into the experiences of those in the transgender community. The work is a finalist in the Opera Factor residency competition, which is run by the Verona Accademia per l'Opera.

The opera's plot centers around the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, from Ovid's Metamorphoses. At the outset of the opera, two characters are distinct individuals, but by the end, it becomes apparent that the Eurydice character in fact represents the "old self" that Orpheus casts off following his transition. Therefore, in Bazzichetto's version of the myth, Orpheus's choice to look back at his beloved is not a reckless error but rather an opportunity to take control of his identity.

The work is scored as a cantata for baritone, mezzo-soprano, and small ensemble. According to the Italian publication Connessi all'Opera, the piece's musical language is somewhat influenced by that of Baroque opera, possibly in a nod to Gluck's 1762 setting of the same myth. Similarly, librettist Sebastiano Bazzichetto has used a mixture of contemporary and Elizabethan English to place the work somewhere between the two eras.

A graduate of Bulgaria's National Music Academy Milen Apostolov, his composition premiere was with the Bulgarian Chamber Orchestra, first symphony premiere was with the State Academy Orchestra — both of which he conducted. Along with various other commissions by dance institutions, gaming companies, and competitions, Apostolov was nominated for best film score at Los Angeles CineFest and Luis Film Festival.

Sebastiano Bazzichetto was born in Venice and trained in Italy in Canada, receiving his PhD from the University of Toronto. In 2020 he completed a Master's degree in Opera Direction and has used the opportunity of the "(m)0rpheus" commission as a way to bring a new treatment of queerness to the opera stage.