City Opera Vancouver will present “Sophia’s Forest” by Lembit Beecher and librettist Hannah Moscovitch this May and June at Studio T at SFU’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts.

The opera tells the story of Sophia, who flees civil war and settles in a new country. The work stars Elena Howard-Scott as adult Sophia with Arya Yazgan as the young Sophia. Also on the cast is Adanya Dunn as Sophia’s mother Anna, and Luka Kawabata as Sophia’s partner Wes.

Julie McIsaac directs, and Gordon Gerrard, Artistic Director of City Opera Vancouver, conducts.

“This is not a work that provides easy answers, but it does offer a powerful reminder of our shared humanity,” said Gerrard, per an official press release. “In a time when it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by global conflict, ‘Sophia’s Forest’ invites us to connect to the individual stories behind the headlines. Composer Lembit Beecher and librettist Hannah Moscovitch have created a deeply resonant story– one that speaks to empathy, resilience, and the enduring capacity for hope amidst even the darkest circumstances.”

The opera opens on May 29 and runs through June 1. The May 29-31 showcases have a start time of 7:30 p.m., while the June 1 performance kicks off at 2 p.m.

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