Drew Starkey

Twelfth-century Japan: the Emperor has become a monk and retired to a monastery, while retaining both temporal and spiritual power. At the executive level, however, these powers are very much divided-into the Cloister Court and the Imperial Court. As the monks and ministers struggle for supremacy, a young samurai is making plans to overthrow both.

Staging a colonial conflict, this libretto across 8 chapters questions colonialism, collaboration, resistance, narratives, and history through treason and exploitation over 44 hypnotic minutes.