Karmina Šilec: OVIS
OVIS collection
documentary opera
Sheep have been central to the human story.
The key player in human history, this remarkable animal has been feeding, healing, clothing, and supporting us to prosperity and misery, to build empires and devastate landscapes, to decorate our homes and discover new continents, to build cities and create works of art.
Sheep are not just cattle waiting to become meat.
OVIS, Op. 1 brings this everyday species to the fore. It explores some of the profound impact sheep have had on humanity and natural world, their origin, and other extraordinary things humans have learned from them. Their role in our diets has changed us biologically; they are essential to modern medicine, science and industry; and they hold huge symbolic value in many cultures. The success or failure of civilisations has depended on sheep. OVIS gives these creatures a chance to tell their story.
Premiere: November 15, 2024, The Minoriti Cultural Quarter
Production: Carmina Slovenica, 2024