Paradox Opera, an independent Durham-based company, has raised over $10,000 through a weekend-long Twitch “raid train” featuring 25 creators to support its 2025–26 season.

The fundraising event, which brought together dozens of Twitch streamers, artists, and opera enthusiasts worldwide and blended gaming culture, live performance, and classical music across a series of connected livestreams, culminated in the announcement of “The Genders of Gybberidge,” a new operetta by trans writer Gwen Hyland and composer Vince Gover.

“I’m so blown away by the way people have shown up for us,” said Alissa Roca, Artistic Director of Paradox Opera. “We’re not just raising money—we’re proving that people care about the arts, queer representation, and PXO’s mission as a whole. This event showed that opera can thrive anywhere people gather to share stories, even in a digital space built primarily for gamers.”

Funds from the event will support Paradox Opera’s upcoming season, including the early development of “The Genders of Gybberidge,” described as “a chaotic, fantastical satire about identity and control” by Hyland.

“It pokes fun at the absurdity of being told you’re destroying the fabric of society when all you’ve done is find who you really are,” the librettist added.

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