On October 15, 2020 composer Nathan Felix’s upcoming album, titled “Öcalan,” is set to release on major digital platforms.

The album is a recording of his new chamber opera, “Abdullah Öcalan,” which follows the political activist and founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, and was originally going to premier at this year’s SXSW before it was cancelled.

For this work, Felix collaborated with a Kurdish refugee and poet, translating Öcalan’s texts and adapting it for the stage. The recording was done with Erik Wofford at Cacophony Recorders, as they hope to shed light on the ongoing Kurdish struggle.

The ensemble include soprano Katrina Saporsantos, baritone Trevor Shaw, tenor Robbie LaBanca, bass Steven Long, violinists Emily Bishop and Matt Hemenway, cellist Henna Chou, and pianists Benji Dia and Richard Castillo.