The Butterfly Project, Boosting environmental awareness in opera creation, aims to involve students and high schools in writing an Opera on an ecological theme and in its production in terms of sustainability.
The Opera, whose working title is “Elements for the Future”, will consist of three acts of approximately 30 minutes each; the subject of the work, inspired and built around an element (water for Gdansk, air for Helsinki and earth for Modena) will be the result of the creative work of the students who, starting from the environmental aspects, will be able to draw on a multidisciplinary investigation to be co-planned with the teachers. The project will therefore combine production techniques, digital art, digital media and an in-depth study of environmental issues. The development of the libretto and the music will be entrusted to musicians and librettists from the three partner opera houses of the project. The project engages three secondary school classes (approximately 16-17 years old students) in creating an environmental-issue Opera.
The co-creation journey will take place as follows:
The meetings with the students foresee the creation of working groups and the active participation of the students themselves. AESS and the other two engaged environmental organisations in Gdansk and Helsinki will handle the working methodology. They will accompany teachers and students in the different stages of the process, exploring the possibility of using textual and other types of references (e.g. documents, archives, websites, audiovisuals, music), digital and non-digital as well as of carrying out visits to artistic and historical places in the area (museums, exhibitions, art gallery, theatre, etc.) as sources of inspiration for students’ drafting of the story. Last but not least, whenever possible, participation in meetings with students or representatives of climate youth associations (e.g. Fridays For Future) will be encouraged and promoted.
During the first student meeting, all partners involved in Project Butterfly had the opportunity to view videos showcasing the work of students from Italy, Poland, and Finland. The creation of these videos was supported by the multimedia agency partner Heimspiel, ensuring a professional and impactful presentation.
The following videos represent each class’ unique vision of sustainability within their specific contexts. Through this collaborative effort, the students effectively conveyed their insights and ideas on sustainability, highlighting the diverse approaches and creative solutions from different cultural perspectives.
Now it’s your turn to watch the results of our students’ co-creation videos below!
In this video, students from the Otaniemen Lukio High School (Helsinki) share their reflections after attending enlightening lectures and activities on sustainability, as a part of the Project Butterfly. Equipped with new knowledge and valuable inputs, they discuss how young people and older generations can work together, united by the power of art, to create a better future for the next generations to come.
This video edited by Heimspiel, captures the transformative learning experience and showcases the students’ evolving understanding and commitment to a sustainable future. Let’s immerse ourselves in the students’ creative journey!
In this insightful video, students from the Selmi High School (Modena) share their opinions on sustainability as part of Project Butterfly. Focusing on the theme of earth (as their libretto story), the students discuss practices like recycling and emphasise the importance of protecting our planet’s health and ensuring a safe future for coming generations. This engaging interview format highlights the passion and commitment of the younger generation towards creating a sustainable world.
The video, edited by Heimspiel, showcases engaging workshops and collaborative activities with project partners, highlighting the active participation and innovative ideas of young people dedicated to making a difference. Let’s watch the students’ creative process!
This video shows the journey of students from High School No. 6 (Gdansk) who have been part of the project from the beginning, thanks to their dedicated teachers. In the video edited by Heimspiel, we hear students’ vision on sustainable practices like recycling and segregating garbage.
Thanks to several workshops (such as the Mozart opera workshop) and projects at school, our young people learned how small things, both from adults and young people, can make a difference equally. Also, arts and opera can be examples of sustainability, while governments introduce laws to protect the planet. Let’s observe the students’ creation!
As we know the winning teams, it’s time to share with you the three student’s stories! It’s impressive how complex and wise their works are – you can find there many universal topics such as: dealing with guilt, shame, illness and of course the climate crisis and human’s input in it. Three stories were selected, but in total nine proposals were submitted. If you are curious, read all the stories in the digital book collection Students’ Co-creation Journey.
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The Selmi High School in Modena is very active in projects about social and environmental sustainability, transition, data science, poetry and sports contests, journalism, international exchanges, as well as it has strong links with companies in the region.
High School No. 6 participates in many projects accessibility, ecology, journalism,
politics and digital transformation. The School is located in the Przeróbka district.
Otaniemen Lukio High School specialises in mathematics and natural sciences and is carrying out a national development duty in addition to providing general upper secondary education. The school also has a theatre and media track. Otaniemi is an accredited Erasmus+ partner and a future-oriented school. All teaching aims at providing a vast overview of sustainable ways of life and creating a safe space for new ideas and innovation.
THE LAKE OF ASHES
According to Salacja the Lake of Ashes at night resembled a bottomless pit. Its surface, entirely black because of the thick layer of ash, which it owns its name from, doesn’t reflect pale rays of the moon and wind can’t brake it. Only slowly floating bottles disturb the beauty of this place, ineptly trying to copy the stars. On her parents death anniversary Salacja is coming to this lifeless lake because, that caused their dead. Sanacja lost her beloved Fotyn too. One most precious thing reminding her of him is the silver medallion.
The Lake of Ashes used to be the heart of all the waters, Elpids Lake. It was a source of power, all the rivers flowed out from it, it was from it that the waters powered each body of water. It gave all the strength and healing. But people with time became prideful, stopped paying attention to the world that surrounded them, they didn’t care that the lake was dying because of them. Every garbage, that was found in the lake, took part in the creation of the virus. It took the form of a large sea monster, whose skin resembled tar it which all possible contaminations had gathered. Disgusting with ashes pouring from its eyes, its teeth were like a thousand sharpened blades. He was infecting everything and everyone with himself. Animals were practically non-existent and in the near future people were to share their fate.
Once by the lake her foot slipped into the water, she got infected and passed it unconsciously on Fotyn. watched him slowly dying, his heart burning into ashes. She knows, it is her fault. Alone, with virus polluting her body, her life dosen’t make sense. Overwhelmed with loneliness and feeling of guilt, she takes the boat and enters the water with no fear. Wearing a white to dress and holding the medalion she jumps into the lake. Unexpectedly she lands in a beautiful word of nature, like the one Fotyn had told her about. Her senses are sharp, she feels peace. She encounters an old man with a wise look, Protazy, who shows her the sourrounding and tells the story of the lake. She thought that the Elpids Lake was gone forever. She’s confused about where and why she landed. Fotyn accours. Together they walk among flowers in all colors of the rainbow, trees and shrubs abundant in various fruits. View, that she didn’t see for a long time. The crystal clear water seems like a dream to her. Fotyn corrects her it beeing the future and jumps joyfully into the Elpids Lake. He disappears under the surface. The spot turns into a black hole that keeps getting bigger and turns into infamous lake of ashes. Salacja rushes to save him. She won’t let the monster take Fotyn away again. Despite her effort, he’s gone. She feels, that she let him down once again.
Suddenly she is being pulled down, deeply in the lake and glances at her torturer. The ugly monster that is a gross conglomeration of pollution. With all her strength she tries to get out. However, it is all in vain. It’s dark, her lungs start to burn because of lack of oxygen, the fear filles every cell of her body. A bright glaring light from nowhere. She feels the warmth on her neck. Medallion. Pressing it tightly to her heart she realizes, that Fotyn didn’t leave her. He is with her giving her hope that she can win. The medallion ripped from her neck turns suddenly into a huge glowing sword. She won’t let the monster hurt any more people and lifts weapon over… People working this day on the waters of the Lake of Ashes, trying to find the way to get rid of the virus, notice an empty boat and white fabric floating. A man sees the girl in the water, grabbes her waist strongly and tries to bring to the water surface. Running out of power slowly loses contact with reality, virus slowly pulls him in the dark. Again the medallion emanats warm light, colors accur all around. The once black water is now crystal clear and Anatol feels his body gaining strength. On board Salacja is slowly regaining and along with the rest she admires how thanks to her will to fight and the hope Fotyn aroused in her, the world was reborn again.
EPILOGUE – Tv news:The Lake of Ashes regained its original name of Lake Elpida. The virus has been defeated, life is slowly being reborn again.
Group: The Crabs
Group: Piuma d’Oro
Introduction: The story originates from daily actions connected to the wrong disposal of waste.
Furthermore, there is the idea of an empty damaged land whose condition influences human health. During a nice autumn day, Perla, a young selfish woman who is not aware of the consequences of her actions, together with her friends, Gemma and Leonardo, came back home after a dinner in a fast food, leaving some waste on the ground. A passer-by noticed it and picked it up to throw it in the right bin for disposal, but the group of friends made fun of him. Once home, Perla got a call from her doctor, who told her he had found in her last blood test theexistence of a serious disease caused by pollution. Upset and confused, Perla lay down on her bed, asking herself about the reason why this terrible thing had happened to her and about what she had done to deserve it, until she fell asleep. During the night, Perla had a dream that touched her deeply; when she woke up she reflected on it and became aware of herself and of the world that surrounded her: touched deeply with the sense of guilt for her damaging lifestyle and for the contribution to the environmental degradation, she decided to change her life and not to give up to the disease.
When Gemma and Leonardo found out that Perla was ill, they decided to go and see her. Once they arrived, she told them about a dream she had had the night before. At first, she found herself wandering in a forest, where creatures lived happily. But suddenly everything mutated. Nature around her began to change, it had become a future , dystopic and chaotic environment, caused by human actions . When Perla woke up, she knew she decided she wanted to help the planet. As soon as she heard about the flooding in Romagna, Perla rushed there to help. There she met Luca, who was assisting those affected by the disaster, and even though Perla was surprisingly ill, she dug her heels on helping them. Luca noticed how hard she was working and, after he knew about her illness, he decided to stop her, lest she should damage her health. Luca thanked her for her dedication, but advised her to avoid working too hard. Then he started telling her about his activist work and the fact that he was supposed to go to Asia to look after the living conditions of the people living near the graphite mines. But he couldn’t do that because he had to organise rescue work in Romagna. Perla insisted on going in his stead.
Group: Piuma d’Oro
Introduction: The story originates from daily actions connected to the wrong disposal of waste.
Furthermore, there is the idea of an empty damaged land whose condition influences human health. During a nice autumn day, Perla, a young selfish woman who is not aware of the consequences of her actions, together with her friends, Gemma and Leonardo, came back home after a dinner in a fast food, leaving some waste on the ground. A passer-by noticed it and picked it up to throw it in the right bin for disposal, but the group of friends made fun of him. Once home, Perla got a call from her doctor, who told her he had found in her last blood test theexistence of a serious disease caused by pollution. Upset and confused, Perla lay down on her bed, asking herself about the reason why this terrible thing had happened to her and about what she had done to deserve it, until she fell asleep. During the night, Perla had a dream that touched her deeply; when she woke up she reflected on it and became aware of herself and of the world that surrounded her: touched deeply with the sense of guilt for her damaging lifestyle and for the contribution to the environmental degradation, she decided to change her life and not to give up to the disease.
When Gemma and Leonardo found out that Perla was ill, they decided to go and see her. Once they arrived, she told them about a dream she had had the night before. At first, she found herself wandering in a forest, where creatures lived happily. But suddenly everything mutated. Nature around her began to change, it had become a future , dystopic and chaotic environment, caused by human actions . When Perla woke up, she knew she decided she wanted to help the planet. As soon as she heard about the flooding in Romagna, Perla rushed there to help. There she met Luca, who was assisting those affected by the disaster, and even though Perla was surprisingly ill, she dug her heels on helping them. Luca noticed how hard she was working and, after he knew about her illness, he decided to stop her, lest she should damage her health. Luca thanked her for her dedication, but advised her to avoid working too hard. Then he started telling her about his activist work and the fact that he was supposed to go to Asia to look after the living conditions of the people living near the graphite mines. But he couldn’t do that because he had to organise rescue work in Romagna. Perla insisted on going in his stead.
When she arrived at the village, Perla waited to talk to doctor Li, who was the one in charge for the project. While she was waiting, Perla heard some screams coming from the doctor’s office: getting close, she noticed Li and a man arguing. The man, furious, hit the doctor and went away. Perla reached Li in order to help her and make sure she was okay, and they started talking. Li told her about the man she was arguing with, whose name was Zao. He was the chief of a multinational graphite extraction company, who accused the doctor of spreading damaging information for the company.
Perla and Li became friends but during their meeting, Perla felt bad and Li visited her: she told her about a plant named Hemidesmus Bazzicus, that could heal her. The doctor took her to a hidden botanical garden, full of healing plants, from which she created natural remedies for her patients. When the two went to the garden, Zao followed them and confessed that he was ill. He asked Li to help him, offering her some money, but she refused as she was still angry about what had happened before.
When Perla found the cure for herself, she convinced Li to heal Zao. Finally the man, to thank them, turned his company into a sustainable organization.
Group: Inga Lappalainen, Nikita Hikman, Tara Muller, Ievgeniia Nalyvaiko
Characters:
Air (soprano): naive, easy to manipulate, young.
Factory owner (bass): selfish, manipulative. quite old. Chasing endless materia makes him blind to the life oriented factors, such as the health of his and nature.
Tree/Nature (mezzo soprano): good friend with air, warns air about factory owner.
Carbon dioxide (tenor): Factory owner’s right hand. Does what is told, no own opinions. Nuisance.
Ice: represents the impacts of Air’s behavior to the environment that is not always seen
Water: similar to ice
Scene 1: A Peaceful World.
The stage shows a beautiful natural scene with trees, flowers, and animals. Nature, a graceful figure representing the environment, dances happily. Air, portrayed as a young and carefree character, plays around with Nature, showing their strong friendship. Enters the Factory Owner, a person with big plans but selfish motives. He looks at the peaceful scenery, thinking about how he can benefit from it. Nature feels cautious around him, sensing something isn’t right. Despite her doubts, she tries to welcome him into their world, hoping for cooperation.
Scene 2: Air’s Temptation
As time goes by, the Factory Owner’s words start to affect Air. He tells her that what he is doing is good for her and their world. He talks about progress and growth, making it seem like their environment will benefit from his actions. Carbon Dioxide, always following the Factory Owner’s orders, supports his ideas. Despite Nature’s concerns, Air begins to believe that the Factory Owner’s plans are right. She trusts him, thinking they will make things better.
Scene 3: Facing the Consequences
As the Factory Owner continues his greedy ways, the environment suffers. Pollution fills the air, harming the once-beautiful world. Nature, hurt by Air’s betrayal, struggles to keep things together as the natural world is damaged by industry. Water and Ice, symbols of the environment’s suffering, silently watch as Air’s actions harm the world around them. They remind everyone of the damage caused by human greed and ignorance. In a dramatic turn, the Factory Owner’s health declines because of his own actions. As he lies sick, regretting what he’s done, Nature and Air find comfort in each other. With the Factory Owner gone, the air starts to clear, showing hope for a better future. As the curtain closes, Nature and Air stand together, determined to repair the damage and create a world where everything can live in harmony again.
