Recommended: A day of unconventional opera in Seattle
Published 5:25 pm Wednesday, October 1, 2025
The debut of the Rising Waters Collective, a women-led chamber opera company, will take place at Saturday, Oct. 11, with the world premiere of “The Vox Project” — a multi-venue reimagining of Francis Poulenc’s and Jean Cocteau’s “La voix humane” (The human voice).
The event’s live performances will take place in intimate venues across Seattle, while two virtual premieres will expand access for regional and international audiences
The production has significant connections to Vashon.
Islander Holly Boaz, an accomplished soprano and voice educator known locally for her work with Vashon Opera and other cultural efforts on Vashon, is one of four co-directors of the Rising Water Collective. Islander Lucy Weber, another co-director, has also sung with Vashon Opera and is a long-time chorister at Seattle Opera. And tenor Korland Simmons, also an islander, is a performer in “La voix humane.”
Boaz’s and Weber’s colleagues in creating the opera company, Julia Benzinger and Ibudunni Ojikutu, are well-known for their professional accomplishments in the Northwest opera world and beyond.
“The Vox Project” will unfold as a one-day immersive opera experience featuring six distinct interpretations of the same work, created by a company of artists from different backgrounds, cultural identities, ages and voice types.
In spaces from a historic church to an intimate storefront, to digital screens, each performance will reframe “La voix humaine” through a different creative lens, exploring themes of human connection, isolation, mental health, and the effects of technology on communication.
Each version of The Vox Project will be presented in a contemporary English adaptation, making the story accessible while honoring the emotional depth and musical beauty of the opera, said Boaz.
Beyond “The Vox Project,” Boaz said that the Rising Waters Collective is committed to uplifting historically excluded voices and collaborating with regional artists, and will continue to stage reimagined classics and new works in unconventional spaces — from cabaret cocktail bars to pop-up storefronts to digital platforms.
Boaz, eager to share her creative vision with islanders, also said that she and her colleagues hope to soon announce a Vashon appearance for the Rising Waters Collective.
Find out more about the company and “The Vox Project” at risingwaterscollective.org. Some performances are free, one is ticketed, and one performance has a suggested donation, but patrons must submit an RSVP (space is limited).
