Ideas behind the Project
The Ritual of Breath is the Rite to Resist is a collaboration, an inter-disciplinary opera, and a call to civic and collective action. It models an approach to creating work that expands beyond the stage, centers the voices of those impacted, and adapts to each community where it lands.
Learn about the ideas and approach in the words of the creators.
Painter and Ritual of Breath co-creator Enrico Riley on how the mothers of the movement affected his paintings for the opera
Dance artists, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar and Trebien Pollard, talk about movement in the opera.
Neema Bickersteth, Soprano in The Ritual of Breath Is the Rite to Resist, shares her vision of circles of healing.
Bryan Joseph Lee, Producer, NYC Civic Partnerships & Activations, talks about the Ritual city-wide Community Activations.
Niegel Smith, Director of The Ritual of Breath Is the Rite to Resist, explores the meaning of breath.
Healing Rituals
As the Ritual of Breath was being developed, the creators worked with the community to develop seven rituals tied to the themes and seven movements of the opera. These rituals, including groundings and both personal and communal activations are offered in the days leading up to the performance. They are intended as offerings, adapted to each community where the work is shared.