The Gata: A New Buddhist Opera

Buddhism and its pantheon of sacred voice, drum and dance swirl through a feminine hero's journey towards Enlightenment. The Gata is a mythopoetic ritual tracking a womans wisdom quest, told by a Shaolin Dakini Oracle. Set in a field of excerpted scenes experienced by artist-director Irene Cortes, this opera is an offering to goddess and audience alike.

Included in this rare performance is Venerable Lama Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, featuring choreography from Xing Bang Fu, Shaolin monk Shifu Yuan Jing, performance artists Coman Poon, Carla Melo Guarani Kaiowa, Norma Araiza, Miruna Soiu, Meryem Alaoui, Shamanic voice from Deborah Brodey, soprano-mezzo and Vipassana meditator Sarah Hicks, Newari dance performed by yogin Cristina Sanchez with support from emerging talent Ivan Klimov and sitar player Michael O'Brien.

This piece, guided by spirit, is a variegated collection of avant-garde chamber music and symphonic pieces that use butoh meditation, kung fu and mantra to induce a transcendental healing experience within the newly built, Aga Khan Museum auditorium: an architecture based on sacred geometrical forms.

tickets through the aga khan musem! link coming soon

$30 / $20 seniorsarts workers / $10 students

Presented by

University of Toronto - Scarborough Campus

Robert H.N Ho Family Foundation

Arts & Letters Club Toronto

Gaden Choling Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre