When Forests Sing (WORLD PREMIÉRE)

Karen Power, composer

When Forests Sing, an inclusive, co-created opera led by the Royal Irish Academy of Music and composer Karen Power.

Bringing together disabled and non-disabled musicians from across Ireland, this project centres on collaboration, with participants including members of the Open Youth Orchestra of Ireland (OYOI), Ireland’s first inclusive ensemble for young musicians with disabilities, alongside students from the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Together they will form a large-scale ensemble of singers, technological instrumentalists, choirs, and immersive soundscapes drawn from forest environments using both traditional instruments and innovative digital interfaces. Integrating these natural soundscapes with environmental themes, the project seeks to redefine opera through accessibility, technology, and artistic excellence.

Receiving its world première in December 2025, this pioneering co-creative opera will become the second RIAM co-created composition added to the National Library of Ireland’s National Collection.

Funded by Rethink Ireland Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 3.0.