{{Short description|2017 chamber opera}} {{italic title}} '''''Missing''''' is a 2017 [[chamber opera]] with a [[libretto]] by [[Marie Clements]] and music by [[Brian Current]]. Co-commissioned by [[Pacific Opera Victoria]] and [[City Opera Vancouver]], its topic is [[missing and murdered Indigenous women]].<ref>Sarah Petrescu (21 November 2017), [https://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/power-of-opera-gives-story-of-missing-indigenous-women-emotional-depth-1.23099825 Power of opera gives story of missing Indigenous women emotional depth], ''[[Times Colonist]]''</ref>

==Development== The [[libretto]] for the work was developed by [[Marie Clements]] prior to the selection of the composer. Four different composers were asked to set a portion of this libretto, and their settings were anonymized and sung before a jury to select the work's ultimate composer ([[Brian Current]]).<ref>[http://cityoperavancouver.com/missing/background-information ''Missing'' &ndash; background information], City Opera of Vancouver</ref>

The compositional style is spare, reminiscent of a "chamber music suite".<ref name=oc/> It "eschews familiar operatic conventions such as showy arias, huge choruses and a linear plot".<ref>[http://operacanada.ca/review-missing-city-opera-vancouver-nov-3-2017/ Review: ''Missing'', City Opera Vancouver, Nov. 3, 2017] (6 November 2017), ''[[Opera Canada]]''</ref> The opera is in English and [[Gitxsan]], an indigenous language spoken in the traditional territory along much of the [[Highway of Tears]].<ref>Alexander Varty (31 October 2017), [https://www.straight.com/arts/988596/missing-straddles-realms-disturbing-reality-and-dreams ''Missing'' straddles the realms of disturbing reality and dreams], ''[[The Georgia Straight]]''</ref><ref>Andrea Smith (12 October 2017), [https://windspeaker.com/news/windspeaker-news/missing-marie-clements-first-ever-opera-libretto-premieres-nov-3 ''Missing'', Marie Clements' first-ever opera libretto, premieres Nov. 3], ''[[Windspeaker]]''</ref>

==Performance history== The opera's unofficial premiere in November 2017 was before the "community of the missing" in the [[Downtown Eastside]] of [[Vancouver]], one of the opera's two settings. This was followed by a five-night run in each of Vancouver and [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]] later in the month.<ref>[http://cityoperavancouver.com/missing ''Missing''], City Opera of Vancouver</ref> The show was directed by renowned Canadian director [[Peter Hinton-Davis]].

In 2019 Pacific Opera Victoria remounted ''Missing'', in partnership with the Victoria Native Friendship Centre,<ref>{{cite web |title=Victoria Native Friendship Centre |url=https://vnfc.ca/ |access-date=2026-01-27}}</ref> Prince George Native Friendship Centre,<ref>{{cite web |title=Prince George Native Friendship Centre |url=https://www.pgnfc.com/ |access-date=2026-01-27}}</ref> Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services,<ref>{{cite web |title=Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services |url=https://fhqtc.com/rtsis/ |website=File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council |access-date=2026-01-27}}</ref> [[Regina Symphony Orchestra]], and Prince George Symphony Orchestra.<ref>{{cite web |title=Prince George Symphony Orchestra |url=https://pgso.com/ |access-date=2026-01-27}}</ref> The performances took place in Victoria,<ref>{{cite web |title=Missing: Marie Clements / Brian Current |url=https://pacificopera.ca/whats-on/missing/ |website=Pacific Opera Victoria |access-date=2026-01-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209001553/https://pacificopera.ca/whats-on/missing/ |archive-date=2023-02-09}}</ref> Regina,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Ashley |title=Review: In Regina, Missing is a heart-wrenching, vital story of MMIWG |url=https://leaderpost.com/entertainment/local-arts/review-in-regina-missing-is-a-heart-wrenching-vital-story-of-mmiwg |access-date=2026-01-27 |publisher=Regina Leader-Post |date=2019-11-09}}</ref> and Prince George.<ref>{{cite news |title=Opera on missing and murdered Indigenous women opens in Prince George |url=https://ckpgtoday.ca/2019/11/15/opera-on-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-opens-in-prince-george/ |access-date=2026-01-27 |publisher=CKPG Today |date=2019-11-15}}</ref>

The United States première of ''Missing'' was presented by [[Anchorage Opera]] in March 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=Missing |url=https://anchorageopera.org/missing/ |website=Anchorage Opera |access-date=2026-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322150901/https://anchorageopera.org/missing/ |archive-date=2023-03-22}}</ref>

==Synopsis== The opera presents a dual narrative. The primary narrative focuses on Ava, a young white woman who is thrown into a tree during a car crash and sees the body of an indigenous woman known as "Native Girl". This experience makes such an impression on Ava that she adopts many elements of Gitxsan culture, and later sees the murder of Native Girl in her dreams. The secondary narrative focuses on the grief of Native Girl's brother and mother.<ref name=oc>[http://operacanada.ca/review-missing-pacific-opera-victoria/ Another take; Review: ''Missing'', Pacific Opera Victoria, Nov. 19, 2017] (23 November 2017), ''[[Opera Canada]]''</ref>

==Reception== A review in ''[[Vancouver Magazine]]'' states that ''Missing'' "lays the foundation for a bridge between two cultural solitudes that must work together... to give birth to a new Canada".<ref>Roberta Staley (1 November 2017), [https://www.vanmag.com/theatre-review-missing-highway-of-tears 'Missing' Turns Tragedy Into Art], ''[[Vancouver Magazine]]''</ref> According to ''[[Opera Canada]]'', "As an opera, ''Missing'' is under-written. As an important piece of theatre that builds over its short 80 minutes to a shatteringly emotional conclusion... [it] is something every Canadian should see".<ref name=oc/>

==References== {{reflist}}

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[[Category:2017 operas]] [[Category:Chamber operas]] [[Category:Operas set in the 21st century]] [[Category:English-language operas]] [[Category:Multiple-language operas]] [[Category:Operas]] [[Category:Works about missing people]] [[Category:Works about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement]]