Kopernikus, a chamber opera written by Montreal-born composer Claude Vivier, is unlike any opera that has ever been written. Vivier created a new sound by constantly seeking answers to simple questions: Where are you coming from? Where are you going?

In this new production, an all-Canadian creative team explore this timeless work in which the cosmos symbolizes the afterlife. The message – that we need not fear death – reflects the highly personal nature of Vivier's music. If Claude Vivier had not met an unfortunate death (he was murdered in 1983), he might well have become one of the twentieth century’s most influential composers. His teachers included Karlheinz Stockhausen and Gilles Trembley. Kopernikus (‘Opéra rituel de mort en deux parties’), written in 1980, is a timeless work in which the cosmos symbolizes the afterlife. The message – that we need not fear death – reflects the highly personal nature of Vivier's music.

Kopernikus features participants from the Open Space: Opera in the 21st Century program.

“Opera, as a form of expression of the soul and of human history, cannot die. The human being will always need to represent his/her fantasies, dreams, fears and hopes.” --- Claude Vivier