EKKO (2025)
(Echoe)

EKKO investigates the nature of love - the possibilities and limitations for it to unfold its multifaceted and diverse embodiments in societies and beyond. The opera evolves around the story of Echo and Narcissus from Ovid’s Metamorphoses and elaborates on its themes and story to shed new light on gender, love, bodies, voices, inclusion and diversity.

In EKKO the nymph Echo is a straight trans woman and the beautiful young Narcissus is a straight cis man. Due to their “different” relationship their love can never be in the existing society and they are both cursed by the goddess Hera.

Echo - the trans woman - is condemned to forever only be an echo - only able to vaguely repeat the lives and statements of others and Narcissus - the straight cis man - is condemned to never be able to love others as much as the reflection of himself.

Their curses make the two characters slowly whither and perish from the society they tried to be a part of. As they perish they are tranformed into natural materials - Echo becomes a cave forever only echoing and Narcissus becomes one with the water projecting his reflection.

Transcending their initial form both characters enter another dimension where societal norms, roles and rules no longer apply and they are able to live and love freely.

- Josefine Opsahl