Medusa Opera

London based Visual and Physical Theatre company Vertebra Theatre is excited to develop this second collaboration with Guildhall School of Music and Drama after Electra Untitled project that is currently on tour.

The Syngaporean composer Goi Ywei Chern and the British flautist and writer Jess McNulty are developing a new exciting chamber opera 'Medusa' directed by the Greek artist Mayra Stergiou.

The project will aim to engage young people with contemporary opera making deinstitutionalise further the artistic discipline with a series of workshops, additionally to the performances.

In more detail:

MEDUSA is a contemporary re-telling of the Greek myth of Medusa, focussing Medusa’s own story before her encounter with Perseus. This chamber opera explores both her girlhood and the aftermath of her violation in Athena’s temple, reclaiming the narrative of the woman who has historically been portrayed as solely a ‘monster’. She is both joyful and furious, unflinching and terrified, violated and fiercely powerful - she is all these things at once. Opera, Dance, Puppetry and Video Mapping blent to compose a semi staged, deconstructed shipwreck of girlhood and “monsterhood”. This new libretto focuses on Medusa’s own story before her encounter with Perseus and aims to raise awareness on childhood sexual abuse through opera making.

A Forward from the Librettist Jess McNulty:

''Megan Nolan in ‘The Functions of Female Rage’ talks about a rage which is ‘unfocussed’, and I really love that image, of an anger that does not have to have a use to be justified. At the end, Medusa’s anger is a stark contrast to her naivety and girlhood at the beginning of the opera, something which she is also deeply aware of. It is an anger which she knows might overcome her, but also one which is a scream against the injustice of her story and that is born out of a deep desire to protect herself and her sisters.'

CREDITS

Cast

Medusa (first half): Hella Termeulen

Medusa (second half): Eva Stone - Barney

Euryale: Alice Hermand

Stheno: Hayley Meth

Athena: Cecilia Cole

Poseidon: Twm Tegid Brunton

Dancer: Ru Lawrence

Orchestra: Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Creative Crew

Composer: Goi Ywei Chern

Librettist: Jess McNulty

Conductor: Brian Choi

Director: Mayra Stergiou

Producer: Jess McNulty

Set Design: Bautista Araya

Costume Designer: Talia Servadio

Puppet/Prop Maker: Nadja Zaremba - Byrne

AV Designer: Utkucan Eken

Stage Manager: Jasmin Davenport

Marketing & Communication: Jess McNulty, Mayra Stergiou

Assistant Costume Designers: Blair Addison, Aimee Fields

Associate Producer: Vertebra Theatre

Painting design by Goi Ywei Chern

About the Funding Request:

As well as developing and delivering high-quality theatre experiences, Vertebra works extensively with the wider community, creating projects, workshops and productions. We partner with other companies and organisations, providing them with our skills, expertise and experience, and supporting them in the development and delivery of their projects. Alongside your support ensuring that we will be able to create a high-quality production building a set for the play, hiring a professional dancer and an AV designer to create the video mapping projections.

Your funding will also provide the crucial match funding to Guildhall Research Fund of £600 already given to the production.

How the Funds will be used:

Materials, Set construction and Costumes: £1000

Puppet Making Expenses: £200

AV Design: £200

Performance fee for dancer: £100

Total request: £1500

Social Media

Vertebra Theatre

Twitter: @VertebraTheatre

Instagram: @vertebratheatre

Website: http://www.vertebrarts.com

With Special Thanks to:

Guildhall School of Music and Drama Research Department and Professor Stephen Plaice of the MA Opera Making course.

Electra Untitled in Argentina story:

Special Thanks to our donors for the Project Electra Untitled in Argentina in April 2025! The project was a great success engaging 140 live audience in 2 days at the British Arts Centre with a Q&A at the end. The funds raised (£480) went towards the air tickets of the creative team (2 performers return flights to Buenos Aires from London).