"working title" (a dialogue), 7 december 2022, photo by jan hordijk

Meia Oei

WORK IN PROGRESS

(on)vergetenen ^{pre-production}writing/ directingBased on my search for unheard voices in the archives of the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, (on)vergetenen (working title) centres around Dutch composer Rosine de Cocq (1891 - 1977). Inspired by Saidiya Hartman’s concept of “critical fabulation” this performance explores who Rosine was or might have been. Why was she forgotten, and can we un-forget?
A small-scale production for three singers and piano.

Voiced Hauntings: the Politics of Fictional Testimony in Contemporary Opera ^draftingfinal thesis comparative literary studiesThe multi-modal medium of opera makes particularly salient the distinction between different forms and uses of testimony. In this thesis, I read the narrative of four recent operas as testimony. I propose a theoretical distinction between ‘intradiegetic’ and ‘extradiegetic’ testimony, to better deal with the complex ways in which these fictional or fictionalised works comment on the contemporary world outside of the theatre.

EXPERIENCE

UTRECHT UNIVERSITY
BA literary studies
RMA comparative literary studies*ROYAL CONSERVATOIRE THE HAGUE
BA classical voice (w/ minor in early music voice)
MA new audiences and innovative practice** graduating 2026

2025
DUTCH NATIONAL OPERA - director's assistent "OUM"
dir. Kenza Koutchoukali
2023 - 2024
OPERA2DAY - dramaturgy & communication
NETHERLANDS RADIO CHOIR - academistmore details on request // linkedin

PROJECTS // PERFORMANCES

is a rose

a multi-modal meditation on grief
for singer, loop station, and sampleswritten and performed by meia oei,
with is a rose by caroline shaw

working title

working title is a dialogue
for singer/actor (live + recorded) and loop stationwritten and directed by meia oei,
coached by elsina jansenpremiered dec 2022
royal conservatoire, the hague

mad songs

final bachelor recital, june 2023
footage available on request
click here to download the program booklet
dedicated to my grandma rita (1937-2025)

unta, unta

an experimentwritten and performed by meia oei,
with music by bacewicz, wende and saariaho
featuring trumpet playing by mateusz gwizdałłacoached by saskia bonarius and eva kroon for salone dell'opera (7 october 2023)