This piece is inspired by the story of Mukhtar Mai—a trailblazing Pakistani human rights activist who is a victim of sanctioned gang rape. She defied expectations to take her own life after the attack, deciding to live and seek justice. Her hope: open a village school for girls to learn to read and write, so that they may avoid the humiliation of signing their names with only a thumbprint.

This libretto originates from a series of interviews with Mai, paired with a score that is a dynamic collision of Hindustani and European opera influences.

Sung in English with captions. The matinee performance on Sunday, March 26 will be audio described.