Queer Opera Cassandra's Wrath Redefines Myth and Power on Stage

A bold new opera is challenging tradition and politics on stage. Cassandra’s Wrath, written and directed by Paula Oscar Rüdiger, reimagines ancient myth with queer and trans characters at its heart. The production defies rising right-wing populism by centring stories of belonging and resistance in opera.

Rüdiger crafted the libretto as their final project in music theatre direction. The work draws on composer Connie Converse’s *Cassandra Cycle*, a song cycle that portrays Cassandra as a figure of logic and deep spirituality.

The opera breaks from tradition in its portrayal of Cassandra. Unlike the classic myth, she is not cursed by Apollo. Instead, she claims her own power and pronounces the curse herself. This choice reflects Rüdiger’s belief in characters acting with agency, free from the constraints of ancient texts.

At the centre of the story is Cassandra’s love for Helen. Both women are outsiders, weighed down by responsibility and guilt. Their connection becomes a driving force in the narrative, offering a fresh take on relationships rarely seen in opera. The production is entirely FLINTA—an acronym for women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans, and agender people. Trans characters, including Hector and Andromache, take on roles traditionally reserved for cisgender performers. Rüdiger questions why gender differences between text and performance should be controversial, pointing to opera’s long history of cross-dressing and fluid casting. For Rüdiger, the work is also a political statement. By placing trans and queer voices on stage, the opera pushes back against exclusionary narratives. It insists that these stories—and performers—have always belonged in the art form.

Cassandra’s Wrath marks a deliberate shift in how opera engages with identity and power. The all-FLINTA cast and reimagined myth offer a direct response to modern political tensions. With its premiere, the production opens new conversations about who gets to tell stories—and how they are told.