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The (SCM) and the (NIDA) join forces again for the premiere of , a new co-production of four short operas that explore aspects of mothers, motherhood, and womanhood, created by postgraduate composition students and directed by renowned artist Lindy Hume.

Wronged woman conspires to kill. Desperate mother transforms into vengeful villainess. Betrayal leads to tragedy. From Herodias to Medea, Queen of the Night to Cio-Cio-San and plenty more, extreme tropes characterising the role of the woman, particularly mothers, as victims or murderous, spiteful, and cruel have long been reproduced in the operatic form.

Mother approaches the concept of motherhood differently, drawing on pop idioms and cultural traditions to embark on a new method of contemporary storytelling.

As part of the Words, Text, Voices, Music program at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Master of Music (Composition) students Oliver John Cameron, Aija Draguns, Jessica O鈥橠onoghue, and Hao Zhen developed the quartet of operas for their dissertation portfolios, alongside NIDA students undertaking a Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing.

Menarche is Jessica O鈥橠onoghue鈥檚 first foray into writing opera, born out of the composer鈥檚 frustration by the 鈥渙ut-of-date, irrelevant and quite damaging narratives鈥� dominating the art form鈥檚 tradition. To feel fulfilled as an artist, she wants to create a new story shaped by her own experiences that contemporary audiences can relate to. 鈥淥pera isn鈥檛 a sum of ancient works,鈥� she told . 鈥淚t can evolve as a living, breathing art form.鈥澛�

O鈥橠onoghue鈥檚 work is a celebration of menstruation, and the wisdom shared between women, mothers and daughters walking the path of womanhood together. 鈥淭here is a lot of shame attached to what [women鈥檚] bodies are going through,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wanted a work that would be a fresh new narrative and give the next generation of women a positive spin on the female journey鈥� Let鈥檚 lift each other up and love ourselves and love women for who they are and what they do in this world, which is give birth and create life within their own bodies.鈥�

The self-described 鈥渃lassical contemporary鈥� style of Aija Draguns is influenced by her Latvian heritage and the folklore and cartoons originating from her cultural roots. Her composition In Cosmic Utero is a 鈥渃olourful and engaging, but also unsettling鈥� fantasy inspired by two mythological deities 鈥� M膩ra (mother earth) and Saule (guardian of the sky time) 鈥� juxtaposing ideas of birth, loneliness, loss, and grief.

She finds the opportunity to collaborate on a new opera expansive, as it allows more space to challenge the prevailing themes of the classics while adapting to the performers鈥� needs: 鈥淎s much as I love traditional opera, it is so important for opera students to work with a composer who is in the room with them. If something is difficult or out of their range, we change it on the spot. That is a luxury not available with established operas,鈥� she said.

鈥淚t is a creative collaboration where it is not just the composer who creates the music, but the performer as well.鈥�

Another opera debutante, Oliver John Cameron鈥檚 work M.TH.R is co-produced with NIDA librettists Xavier Hazard and Megan Rundle. Set in the realm of a reality TV show, contestants compete to win the favour of the titular pop superstar and her fan base.聽

The opera refers to ideas of identity within the family structure, particularly after loss, and the concept of a chosen versus biological family: 鈥淎 true parent doesn鈥檛 need to have a biological connection; it鈥檚 a very interesting concept to explore,鈥� Cameron said.

He described the work as 鈥渁 darkly comic piece leaning into camp,鈥� influenced by the likes of pop icons Madonna, Lady Gaga, Ru Paul and Bj枚rk. 鈥淚 love how unapologetic pop music is,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not devoted to any one style but let all the influences come together in what I create. Opera is a good space for that.鈥�

Born in China, Hao Zhen鈥檚 previous works in chamber music and song cycles have featured ancient Chinese poems. She has been writing music from four years old, yet this is also her first venture into composing opera. Her work The Lullaby is a fairy tale that explores the complexities of the role of the mother, as nurturer but also as a 鈥渟ource of anguish鈥� complicated by the 鈥渞epression of guilt and unacknowledged desires.鈥澛�

Zhen invites the audience into the often isolating and turbulent experience of motherhood via the symbolism of snakes. 鈥淭he snake represents the mother鈥檚 dark wishes,鈥� Zhen said. 鈥淪he has a chaotic struggle expressing her emotions. What makes the opera is that music helps to close that detachment between the mother鈥檚 vulnerability and the words she cannot express. It鈥檚 a wonderful way of combining non-verbal expression with singing, which is so powerful.鈥�

The four operas will be performed by voice and instrumentalist students from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, while the creative team includes students from design and production at NIDA.聽

Mother plays at the Parade Theatre, NIDA, Sydney, from 28 October to 2 November. Find tickets on the聽.

The relationship between NIDA and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music began in 2021, with the collaborative partnership so far producing Britten鈥檚 A Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream, Mozart鈥檚 The Magic Flute, a reimagining of Monteverdi鈥檚 The Coronation of Poppea, and now Mother.

The Sydney Conservatorium of Music acknowledges the generous support of the Alan Hyland and John Luscombe Endowment.