Denis & Katya

About

This visceral production by composer Philip Venables and director Ted Huffman uses verbatim text to examine the vast public response to the events surrounding the tragedy of Russian runaways Denis Muravyov and Katya Vlasova. The opera explores how stories are shaped and shared in an age of trolls, conspiracy theories, fake news, and 24/7 digital connection. It delves into the voyeuristic society that watched, liked, and objectified two teenagers, transforming them into clickbait, after they broadcast their final moments online during a standoff with Russian Special Forces. The work questions what led to their violent deaths and why they chose to broadcast their final moments on social media.