

Sapphic Passion 2025
On April 5, we’re putting on a large-scale show which tells a story of queer love and resilience, using the fragmented texts of Sappho reworked into a narrative with original poetry by Maria Gajraj! We’re working with three choirs, string quartet, dancers, vocal soloists, and six composers. We’re using the form of a Passion Oratorio, which was traditionally used to tell the story of Jesus' death and resurrection, but we're recontextualizing it by using Sappho's poetry to tell a story of queer liberation.

The Main Characters
SAPPHO (Queen Hezumuryango) - Ancient Greek poet, desperately in love with her best friend, Anactoria
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ANACTORIA (Patricia Yates) - loves Sappho back, but is betrothed to another
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APHRODITE (Kathryn Riopel) - has a soft spot in her heart for Sappho, but ultimately cannot save her from her fate
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NARRATOR (Jingjing Xu) - ties the story together with her beautiful songs
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Link to full libretto:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eIdTwkPlZwWcemcJVvVv9HVenEYTNWyNXN3T6VJ67kw/edit?usp=sharing


The Composers
The music for the Sapphic Passion was created by six incredible composers who have each brought their own unique perspective to shape this story.
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SECTION 1: ANNA BERG; https://www.annaberg.no/
SECTION 2: MORGAN-PAIGE MELBOURNE; https://www.morganpaige.ca/home
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SECTION 3: LEO PURICH;
https://levivier.ca/en/le-vivier/individual-files/leo-purich
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SECTION 4: KIM FARRIS-MANNING;
https://www.farris-manning.ca/
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SECTION 5: SARAH ROSSY; https://www.sarahrossy.com/about
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SECTION 6: ESTHER-RUTH TEEL; https://esther-ruthmusician.ca/
The Musicians
We are so lucky to be working with a team of incredible musicians, supporting our four soloists!
CHOIRS:
One Equall Musick; https://www.oneequallmusick.org/
Choeur Adleisia; https://www.adleisia.com/
Choeur Maha; https://choeurmaha.org/homepage
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STRING QUARTET:
Lyra String Quartet;
https://lyrastringquartet.wixsite.com/lyrastringquartet
Jessica Tovey and Lucy Nemeth: Violins I and II
Hudson Maness: Viola
Ellamay Mantie: Violoncello
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ORGANISTS:
Maria Gajraj and Esther-Ruth Teel
