Meet the Minds Behind Labyrinth
Bringing a mythological story to life through a modern, queer lens requires a team of bold, visionary artists. Labyrinth, performed at the Midsumma Festival 2024, is no ordinary opera. It’s a multidisciplinary exploration of identity, transformation, and the power of myth, created by some of Naarm’s most innovative talents.
At the helm of this production is Evan Lawson, a composer and director celebrated for pushing boundaries in opera and immersive theatre. Evan’s music for Labyrinth is a seamless blend of intricate polyphony, electronic textures, and evocative vocal writing, drawing deeply from their fascination with mythology and queerness. Evan’s ability to craft soundscapes that are as daring as they are accessible has earned them critical acclaim and a reputation as one of Australia’s leading queer artists.
Joining Evan is Cathy Hunt, a dramaturg and director known for her feminist and irreverent approach to theatre. Cathy’s practice, which challenges traditional ideas of performance, focuses on vulnerable subjectivities and the uncanny within everyday life. With an impressive background in directing and developing works that are innovative and collaborative, Cathy has shaped Labyrinth into a dance-opera that balances the mythic and the contemporary. Her experience in blending artforms, from her Green Room Award-winning direction of Les Mamelles de Tiresias to experimental works like The One, ensures that Labyrinth is as intellectually engaging as it is emotionally resonant.
The production also features the extraordinary talents of Kim Tan, a flautist whose interdisciplinary practice embraces classical and contemporary traditions, and Girl Whatever, a multidisciplinary artist whose electrifying stage presence bridges the worlds of club culture and classical music. Costume designer Jane Noonan’s striking designs complete the immersive experience, combining mythical aesthetics with a contemporary edge.
Labyrinth is more than an opera—it’s a living work of art shaped by some of the most dynamic creatives in Naarm. Together, Lawson, Hunt, and their collaborators have crafted a deeply personal yet universal story, celebrating the power of queerness, collaboration, and the timeless allure of myth.
