(Photo credit: Charlie Poirier-Bouthillette)

Chants Libres and Oktoecho, in partnership with the Society for Arts and Technology will give the premiere of the immersive opera “Sainte Marine.”

This work is inspired by Marine a 5th century Maronite monk who lived in Lebanon under the guise of a man. Marine was a highly regarded exemplary monk. However, Marine was accused of having impregnated the innkeeper’s daughter and was expelled from the monastery, with orders to take care of the child. After three years of living on alms and fasting, Marine was reinstated with the child at the request of fellow monks. Their feminine identity was only revealed later when they were bathing.

Some hymns of Saint Ephrem that Saint Marine would certainly have sung are present in the work. The rest of the music, composed by the Lebanese-Quebecer Katia Makdissi-Warren, combines traditional and contemporary instruments inspired by Maronite music. At the time of Saint Marine, the Maronites spoke Syriac. The libretto of the opera is in French and Syriac.

Marine’s story is explored through an interactive spiritual and dreamlike encounter. This artistic journey, without an imposed narrative thread, weaves a dialogue between the voices of the past and the present. Through this work, the audience is invited to reflect not only on the devotion and love of this Marine, but also on the feminine condition throughout the ages. It asks the questions, “Fifteen centuries later, is being a woman so different?”

Mezzo-soprano and co-creator Marie-Annick Béliveau is the soloist. Charlie Poirier-Bouthillette serves as the video designer. Normal Studio designed the immersive production, with sound design by Mathieu Robineau, lighting by Flavie Lemée, and Marianne Lonergan designed the scenography and costumes.

The premiere of “Sainte Marine” takes place from Nov. 9 to 11, at the Satosphère in Montreal.