19:30-20:30, Saturday 28th June 2025
Alphabetti Theatre
Music: Sarah Li
Words: Charles Baudelaire
This event is part of Festival Shorts, also including WYRM 2.0, Acrimonia, and Escape Room Opera.
‘Opera du Mal’ is a scratch performance presenting one of the arias from this opera in development. This opera is a Queer, anti-misogynist reinterpretation of the poetry of Baudelaire, exploring themes of cruising and abandoned public space as places for Queer encounters. The aria is called ‘Le Serpent Qui Danse’ and is the moment where the character falls in lust with a woman that she meets in an abandoned space. The moment is fraught at this point in the opera because there is a risk to their being discovered and wider themes of Catholicism.
Themes explored in the wider project outside of this aria include: the concept of being ‘out’, the interplay of what may on the surface seem like the conflicting identities of Queer and Catholic and grasping moments of femme solidarity. The piece despite its darker elements is also about those moments of connection, self discovery, pleasure and joy.
Age range: All ages, but mostly adults (about cruising and sexuality)
In a festival of new work, please note that shows may overrun.
Produced by Sarah Li
Venue: Alphabetti Theatre, St James Boulevard, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom NE1 4HP
On the same day:
Music: Sarah Li
Soprano: Katie Oswell
Bass Clarinet: TBC