Oyasumi, oyasumi...

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hikikomori! is my first opera, commissioned by Nigel and Sue Masters of Opera in Oborne, and written in the space of a year between January and December 2021.

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hikikomori! explores self-isolation, grief, healing, and returning to new and possibly more fearful society. The libretto - also written by myself - depicts the mind of a young shut-in boy, navigating a denial-filled dream world alongside manifestations of his childhood friends, eventually uncovering a hidden, tragic truth.

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hikikomori! is heavily inspired by indie video game OMORI, and my experiences first playing through the game's story in December 2020. Releasing in December 2020, the video game centres on a boy living in his own head, going on adventures with his childhood friends, while slowly (re)learning a hidden, horrifying truth — culminating in a climactic decision of whether Omori can leave his dream world, or remain victim to his own denial.

 

During my first playthrough of OMORI, I couldn’t help but notice the acute similarities between the titular boy, and the collective trauma many of us have experienced over the past two years. This collective trauma is not simply a side effect of our staying at home: it is our fears of our own mortality, the loved ones who have been taken from us too soon, the constant headlines reminding us of the gravity of our situation.

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In essence: hikikomori! is an opera about isolation, about trauma, about grief, and about recovery.

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The opera is divided into three acts:

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• Act One: the boy in the white room

• Act Two: the boy in the black room

• Act Three: the boy inside his head​

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A copy of the libretto is available for perusal here.

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There's something behind you...

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