Firehouse Theatre and RVA Baroque Present World Premiere Opera JULIE, MONSTER

Firehouse Theatre has partnered with RVA Baroque to produce the world premiere of JULIE, MONSTER: a Queer Baroque opera -- for a very limited run of two live performances on Friday December 3 at 7pm and Sunday December 5, 2021 at 2pm, with additional streaming options on Saturday December 4 at 8pm (EST) and December 11 and 12 as an on-demand stream throughout the weekend.

JULIE, MONSTER tells the story of Julie d'Aubigny (ca. 1670-1707), a gender-fluid opera singer, renowned swordswoman, and one of the most extraordinary figures of her day.

JULIE, MONSTER was written and composed by the father and son team of Raphael and Niccolo Seligmann. The original score mixes baroque compositional techniques with contemporary styles including rock, folk, and blues. PJ Freebourn is the director. The cast of 19 brings together singers with backgrounds in classical opera, musical theatre, gospel, rock, and world music. Consonant with the work's embrace of difference, the cast represents a diverse array of identities, self-presentations, bodies, backstories, and beliefs. Jaylin Brown, a recent graduate of VCU's opera program, plays the title character of Julie. CLICK HERE for the cast list.

RVA Baroque uses historical instruments and techniques to honor the performing arts of the past, while opening doors of possibility for the future. Firehouse Theatre is a thriving hub of creative activity, an artistic home, and a center for community engagement where new work is developed and produced. This is Firehouse's second world premiere opera. In 2018 it produced Walter Braxton's opera TO DAMASCUS.