The story we need to tell; the women we must remember
Marie Clements (Librettist)
Brian Current (Composer)
Missing, by Métis playwright Marie Clements and Juno-winning composer Brian Current, gives voice, in English and Gitxsan, to the stories of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. A poetic expression of loss, hope and the spirit finding home. Although the action of Missing takes place in the stark reality of a current epidemic, “it also takes place in the realm of dreams, the land of myth and the caverns of the unconscious. At its core is something very real: how our culture stereotypes Indigenous women and puts them in constant danger of rape or worse” – The Straight, A. Varty. The USA premiere presentation of Missing by Anchorage Opera, Indigenous led and cast, speaks to the tragic situation in Alaska where high violence rates against Alaska Native women has created a culture in which they feel invisible and disposable.
“Missing is an extraordinarily moving and thought-provoking work, and a milestone for the opera world. It has taken a painful and horrifying topic and rendered it into accessible art. Ultimately, its message is a universal one: open our eyes and hearts to each other’s pain. By doing so, humanity has a chance for healing and redemption. Missing begins this healing journey in a magnificent mélange of singing, acting and music that, one hopes, will be seen by audiences across Canada and the world.” – Roberta Staley, The Whole Note
Anchorage Opera is proud to present the USA premiere production of Missing in February 2022. Originally co-commissioned and co-produced by Pacific Opera Victoria and City Opera Vancouver, the opera, developed over two and a half years, had its world première in Vancouver and Victoria in November 2017.
