The Nubian Word for Flowers: A Phantom Opera

Long Beach Opera presents the U.S. West Coast premiere of The Nubian Word for Flowers: A Phantom Opera, part of the 2024-25 season focusing on the revolutionary works of Pauline Oliveros.

The long-awaited 3rd LBO Film Festival returns, this year focusing on Pauline Oliveros’ legacy as a queer artist. This two-day event showcases films, digital works and performances that highlight her profound influence on sound, music and art, while spotlighting queer artists innovating across film, opera, music and new technologies.

At the heart of the festival is The Nubian Word for Flowers, an opera collaboration between Oliveros and her partner, multidisciplinary artist IONE. This powerful work delves into the Nubian diaspora and the life of Lord Kitchener, blending live performance, electronics and moving images to create a dreamlike exploration of Nubian soul and colonial history.

Award-winning composer, artist and humanitarian Pauline Oliveros (1932–2016) expanded the concept of sound with her potent, genre-defying approach to music and art. As the visionary behind the philosophy of "Deep Listening," her works and practice explored new rituals of performance and ensemble dynamics, while profoundly challenging and redefining the traditional processes of creating "new music" for an entire generation. Oliveros composed many pieces she labeled as “operas” throughout her career–one that "spanned fifty years of making music."(The Pauline Oliveros Trust).

A queer-identifying, Mexican-American artist from Houston, Texas, Oliveros was known for her work across multiple disciplines and styles. She maintained strong connections to California, where she co-founded the San Francisco Tape Music Center and taught at Mills College and the University of California, San Diego. LBO is honored to collaborate with her partner and artistic collaborator, multidisciplinary artist IONE, as well as the Pauline Oliveros Trust and estate, to celebrate and continue her legacy with a year-long exploration of her operatic work.