Mila, a chamber opera with music by Eli Marshall, postdoctoral associate and visiting faculty, recently received its world premiere in Hong Kong. A contemporary work in one act (and three languages), the opera features vocalists from Hong Kong, the Philippines, and America, and was commissioned by the Asia Society Hong Kong Center.
From the Asia Society Hong Kong website: Mila tells the story of a domestic helper from the Philippines, hired by a family of three in Hong Kong. New to the city, Mila remains hardworking, patient, and determined to please her employers despite their fussy and negative attitudes. As tension and distance arise between her employers (husband and wife), Mila becomes greatly concerned over her little master’s suicidal inclination, a situation that touches an old wound from Mila’s past. With the boy’s parents too self-occupied and focused on finding faults and placing blame on others for their own affairs, Mila is left to be the only one aware that the boy needs protection and rescuing from his unstable state.
The opera runs through January 21, 2018. More information can be found on Asia Society Hong Kong's website, https://asiasociety.org/hong-kong/events/mila.
