CENSORED OPERA FESTIVAL HELSINKI

September 11-19, 2026 | Finland

Belle Spirale makes its European debut with two world premieres at the Censored Opera Festival

Our first international commissions and a milestone we're incredibly proud of.

Created in collaboration with our long-time partners re:Naissance Opera, Fractal Arts Collective, and new co-producers Ensemble Nylandia, these works draw on our classical training as opera singers and dancers while boldly reimagining how these forms communicate, illuminating queer and femme storytelling that historically has been silenced and censored.

Choreographed by Alexis Fletcher in collaboration with Belle Spirale artists Brenna Metzmeier and Nathan Coburn, both pieces blend baroque opera, contemporary dance, and technology to explore identity, solidarity, and self-expression beyond binaries.

La Doriclea: Inter-Acts (Sept 11-12, Black Box Theatre at Helsinki Music Centre)

Follows two colliding timelines: a 17th-century opera where rival warriors fall in love, and a group of artists surviving in dystopian America. Music and dance transcend time, weaving these worlds together until the warrior Doriclea stands face to face with their 21st-century counterpart—a story about finding freedom through art.

Orpheus in UNDERWORLD (Sept 18-19, Dance House Helsinki)

Follows O, a trans person navigating self-expression through virtual avatars in a quest for wholeness. This immersive performance challenges audiences to consider the complexity of identity in our modern world.

Presented by Ensemble Nylandia, this marks Belle Spirale's arrival on the European stage and re:Naissance Opera's international debut.

Nathan Coburn and Brenna Metzmeier | Photos by Sylvain Senez