So You May Breathe In Light — Theo Chandler

So You May Breathe In Light (2024)

a chamber opera

for Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Baritone

Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Percussion I, Percussion II, Piano

Duration: 28 min

Synopsis

In So You May Breathe In Light, we follow an Explorer on his journey into his inner world, where he seeks relief from a weight he has never spoken aloud. His guide, a Healer, leads him within himself, deeper and deeper, to the place where his Shadow resides. But when he meets his Shadow, will it confirm his darkest belief about himself – or reveal a truth he has never allowed himself to see?

Plot Summary

So You May Breathe In Light follows the story of an ‘Explorer’ (baritone), as he is guided by a ‘Healer’ (mezzo-soprano) through the dreamlike world of his own imagination. The Explorer’s journey allows him to acknowledge his long-held shame, and discover a new way of relating to the world.

The opera begins with the Healer's calming voice, as she opens the Explorer's mind so he may enter into his inner world. Once inside, the Explorer finds himself enveloped by a turbulent vortex of lights. The Healer explains to him that these lights are a visual manifestation of his mind – each light represents a thought. Witnessing this symbol of his rational mind allows him to bring awareness to his recurring thought patterns. He discovers that he has never forgiven himself for a memory he holds – a memory of hurting someone. Rooted in this memory, the Explorer has developed an underlying belief that he is fundamentally harmful, that by existing, he causes others pain. Knowing that there is more to the story, the Healer encourages him to to meet his Shadow, the darkest part of himself, the part of himself he has chosen not to see. The Explorer continues deeper into his imagination and is suddenly transported to a dungeon. He begins to panic, assuming his Shadow is his cruelty coming to attack him. To his surprise, the Shadow reveals herself not as a harmful being, but as a sickly, withered prisoner. She is the embodiment of his Loving Self (soprano), who he has neglected. In his attempt to protect the world from the harm he believes he causes, he has starved himself of love and connection. Supported by a new perspective, he can begin healing.

Performances

ant. 1/2026 - with National Opera Association, Minneapolis, MN

3/2026 - with National Opera Association, Patrick O’Farrell, Emma Rogers, Ava Dunton, Andrew Bisantz, Boston, MA

5/2025 - with Loop38, Gabriel Natal-Baez, Megan Brilleslyper, Caitlin Aloia, and Lyndsi Maus, Houston, TX

Recognition

2026 - National Opera Association - Dominick Argento Chamber Opera Competition - Winner

2025 - Houston Arts Alliance Grant - Funding for Semi-Staged Production