Impossible Operas reimagines the operatic canon through a bold, feminist lens, transforming some of opera’s most outrageous and problematic tales into a playful, thought-provoking experience. Presented by Milwaukee Opera Theatre and Quasimondo Physical Theatre as part of World Premiere Wisconsin, the production blends live shadow puppetry, inventive storytelling, and powerful vocals to explore how opera—and those who create and perform it—can evolve. Framed by Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, this genre-defying piece invites audiences to reflect, laugh, and dream new possibilities for what opera can be.

Impossible Operas is a wild, whimsical journey through some of opera’s strangest and silliest plots—reimagined with daring creativity, clever humor, and stunning visuals. Created and directed by Jill Anna Ponasik, Jeffrey Mosser, and Brian Rott, this bold production by Milwaukee Opera Theatre blends music by Handel, Wagner, Mozart, and more with shadow puppetry, surreal storytelling, and a cabaret-style wedding reception hosted by Bluebeard himself. With a powerhouse cast of seven singers and live low-tech animation by Anja Notanja Sieger, Impossible Operas transforms high opera into a playful, thought-provoking spectacle that embraces the absurd—and makes it unforgettable.

Impossible Operas is a bold, imaginative production from Milwaukee Opera Theatre and Quasimondo, blending shadow puppetry, inventive staging, and powerful vocal performances to reimagine scenes from some of opera’s most fantastical and rarely staged works. With excerpts from Prokofiev, Handel, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, and more, the show transforms the “impossible” into playful, genre-defying spectacle. Directed by Jill Anna Ponasik, Jeffrey Mosser, and Brian Rott, and featuring visuals by Anja Notanja Sieger, this adventurous piece celebrates the limitless creativity of opera and the magic of live performance.

In Impossible Operas, Milwaukee Opera Theatre and Quasimondo Physical Theatre deliver a surreal, witty, and emotionally rich evening of operatic storytelling. Framed by Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, Bluebeard (Kirk Thomsen) and Judith (Jessi Miller) guide audiences through a whimsical series of shadow puppet vignettes and iconic operatic excerpts—from Wagner to Prokofiev—all tied together with charm, humor, and heart. Featuring stunning vocals and haunting visuals, this inventive production reimagines classic opera in delightfully unexpected ways.