SNAKE<\/em> isn\u2019t quite an opera; it\u2019s more of a staged concert. The ensemble was small, just six musicians in the orchestra (piano, 2 percussionists, 2 trumpets, cello), a youth choir (us!), a dancer, and two soloists (playing a father and daughter). That smaller scale made everything feel closer, more personal – and more intense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The story is deeply personal: it tells of my choir conductor\u2019s wife\u2019s father\u2019s kidnapping in Colombia. Knowing that this wasn\u2019t fiction but rooted in real family history gave the whole experience enormous emotional weight. The music itself is unbelievably beautiful, especially during certain, particularly charged parts. During our first full run-through, we all cried rivers. It was impossible not to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rehearsals were long and intense, especially with the choreography. We spent hours refining movement so that it felt organic rather than staged. It was exhausting, but completely worth it when everything finally locked into place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The soloists were fantastic. Emma Posman in particular has made such remarkable progress since performing in SOLAR<\/em>. Watching that growth up close was inspiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The shows were overwhelming in the best way. The audience reaction was huge – a standing ovation, strong applause, and even attention from critics. You could feel that the piece had truly moved people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are plans for a future tour with the piece, though I don’t think I’ll be able to participate given that I’ll be studying in London, which I’m quite sad about. Still, being part of the world premiere of SNAKE<\/em> at La Monnaie is something I\u2019ll carry with me forever. <\/p>\n<\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/jayweiner.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-10-at-15.35.21.png\")
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