Jen Shyu’s Fertile Land, Fertile Body
Jen Shyu presents *Fertile Land, Fertile Body: The Missing of the Future*, a multilingual ritual opera combining ancient and newly composed music, dance, and projected imagery. The work examines the loss of a mother and of motherhood, as well as the ways environmental toxicity and human-caused genocide affect climate change and human fertility.
A vocalist, composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, and performer of Taiwanese and East Timorese heritage, Shyu is known for her virtuosic singing and intense stage presence. Her collaborators have included Anthony Braxton, Wadada Leo Smith, Vijay Iyer, Tyshawn Sorey, Kenny Barron, Bill Frisell, and many other musical innovators. The production is presented as a seated performance.
When: Saturday, November 21, 2026
Showtime: 8:00 PM
Tickets: $30 in advance; $35 day of show
Ages: 21 and over
Venue: Solar Myth, 1131 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
Format: Seated show
Category: Performance
Featuring: Jen Shyu’s *Fertile Land, Fertile Body*
Performers: Jen Shyu, composition, libretto, voice, gayageum, Taiwanese moon lute, piano, movement, and raw video footage; Zosha Warpeha, violin, Hardanger fiddle, and voice; Alexandria DeWalt, flute and voice; Elizabeth Kate, cello and voice; Devon Gates, bass and voice; and Melanie Dyer, viola and voice
Creative team: Nana Dakin, director; Haruna Lee, writing doula; Soomi Kim, choreographer; Laura Sofía Pérez, projection design; Eric Cheng, photography and iceberg video; Jamie Chen, stage manager; Melyanet Suarez, digital program designer; and Carolyn Hall, environmental researcher