As One

As One is a chamber opera in which two voices, Hannah Before (baritone) and Hannah After (mezzo-soprano), share the role of a single transgender protagonist. Fifteen songs comprise the three-part narrative; with empathy and humour, they trace Hannah’s experiences from her youth in a small city through her university years on the West Coast and, ultimately, to Norway, where she is surprised by what she learns about herself.

As One is a piece about self-discovery and the search for true happiness, presented through the eyes of Hannah, a self-critical, sometimes self-absorbed, funny, intelligent human being who needs answers. Hannah is transgender, and this opera is her odyssey from youth to adulthood. It is a universal human story and, as such, I can only hope that with this opera the audience learns that we should all be true to ourselves.

Accepting the truth takes courage, and seeking that truth is not devoid of profound challenges. And the challenges transgender people face, in a world that generally does not accept them, a world full of ignorance and hate, are even more extreme.

Opera tells stories. We need stories that bring us together as human beings in a shared experience; with music and words, that experience becomes transcendent and transformative.

As One blossoms in a new golden era for opera in which we need to tell real stories, true stories, and raise the world’s awareness of diversity, freedom and the search for self.
Laura Kaminsky

Note: opera in English with Spanish subtitles.