This page is a non-commercial research entry within the Operatic LGBTQIA+ Catalogue. It does not claim authorship, ownership, or rights over the works discussed.
All rights remain with the respective authors, composers, librettists, publishers, companies, performers, and rights holders.
For performance, purchase, licensing, recordings, or rights-related requests, please contact the official rights holders.
Entries can be corrected, updated, expanded, or removed upon request.
When the Sun Comes Out
70
English
Synopsis
Set in a fictional oppressive state called Fundamentalia, where homosexuality is illegal. Lena is a closeted married woman who has a secret affair with Rosa, a lesbian outlaw. Meanwhile, Elena grieves her gay partner who died of AIDS, and together these women form an underground support network. The opera explores double lives, erotic desire, gay male grief, and queer survival, ending with a message of solidarity and hope despite oppression. It is the first Canadian opera with a lesbian theme.
Composer
Leslie Uyeda
Lyricist / Librettist / Playwright
Rachel Rose
Year of composition/publication / premiere
2013
Genre
Opera
LGBTQAI+ category
Bisexual
Level of centrality
Main character
Characters
Lena (closeted married woman), Rosa (lesbian outlaw), Elena (grieving partner)
Voice type
Mezzo-Soprano, Soprano
Pronouns
she/her
Publisher / Rights holder
Canadian Music Centre (CBC)
Where to buy / access the work
Performance rights
For performance rights, please contact the composer and/or publisher to ensure legal compliance.
Official website
Audio recording(s)
Video performance(s)
Keywords
Leslie Uyeda, Rachel Rose, Canadian opera, lesbian chamber opera, Fundamentalia, outlaw, gay grief, hope