As opening night of Bluebeard’s Castle approaches, we invite you to join us in exploring the profound emotional landscapes this story reveals.
This award-winning production is a deeply moving portrayal of Judith’s journey as she faces memory loss due to dementia. Together, we’ll witness how this struggle impacts not only her but also her husband, Bluebeard, as they reflect on the life they’ve built and the memories they’ve shared.
It’s a journey of love, loss, and resilience—one that promises to be emotional, but ultimately, deeply rewarding. We hope you’ll take this meaningful journey with us.
If you’ve missed any part of our weekly emotional countdown, don’t worry — you can catch up here. We invite you to join the conversation and share your memories with us as we honour this poignant and deeply moving production.
To skip to the week you missed, click on the week alone.
WEEK 1: CURIOSITY & NEW BEGINNINGS
WEEK 2: LOVE & YOUR FIRST HOME
WEEK 3: JOY & YOUR FIRST LOVE
WEEK 4: FEAR & ADVENTURE
WEEK 5: FAMILY & LOVE
WEEK 6: LOSS & RESILIENCE
Open the 1st Door in your Journey to Bluebeard’s Castle
Photo by Dahlia Katz | Bluebeard’s Castle performed by Against the Grain Theatre
Today, we are 7 weeks away from the opening night of Bluebeard’s Castle, and we invite you to join us on a powerful journey.
This isn’t the Bluebeard’s Castle you know - it’s an award-winning reimagining by Stephen Higgins and Daisy Evans. This bold new production delves into themes of memory, identity, and the courage it takes to confront life’s uncertainties.
As Judith continues to open a chest, releasing moments from her past, she explores her memories and identity while grappling with the reality of Alzheimer’s. Each time the chest is opened it reveals pieces of her story, reflecting a profound and deeply human experience.
In the weeks leading up to opening night, we’ll mirror Judith’s journey by opening our own chests of memories of moments that shape us. We invite you to reflect with us, to celebrate life’s beauty, and to honour the journey Judith will take on stage this February.
Today, we open the chest for the first time together and explore curiosity and new beginnings.
New beginnings are moments of transformation. They can be exciting, challenging, or both, but they always mark turning points in our lives. For Judith, this new beginning brings her face-to-face with the loss of her memories and the journey to rediscover what they mean to her sense of self. Her story is a testament to resilience, courage, and the complexities of being human.
Join the Conversation
As we count down to opening night, we invite you to reflect on personal experiences and memories, just as Judith does in her journey with Alzheimer’s.
What new beginnings has shaped your life?
We’d love to hear from you! Join the conversation on Instagram and Facebook, and share your reflections on curiosity, new beginnings, and the journeys that define us.
What Does “Home” Mean to You?
Photo by Dahlia Katz | Bluebeard’s Castle performed by Against the Grain Theatre
Today we open the chest for a second time in our countdown to Bluebeard’s Castle - this time inviting you to reflect on home and love, two deeply intertwined parts of our lives.
In February, we’ll follow Judith’s journey as she navigates the realities of memory loss. Her home - the one she built with Bluebeard - is a constant thread in her life, filled with family, shared moments, and the memories they created together. But as her memories begin to fade, even this once-familiar place starts to feel foreign, amplifying the sense of loss.
Through it all, Judith’s anchor is love. The love that transformed a house into a home remains steadfast, built over the years of trust and companionship with Bluebeard.
If someone asked you about your first home, what would come to mind? Perhaps it’s the house you grew up in, filled with childhood memories and family traditions. Or maybe it’s the first place you called your own, where independence blossomed, and every corner reflected your identity.
First homes are as unique as the people who inhabit them, yet they all share a common thread: love and belonging.
As she opens the doors to her past, each tied to memories and experiences that shaped her life, Judith is faced with the bittersweet truth: love remains, but the memories that once gave it shape are slipping away.
Join the Conversation: Share Your Memories of Home
Do you have a photo, keepsake, or object that reminds you of home? Send us a picture of it and a short note of what it means to you.
Message us on social media, or
Email us at communication@edmontonopera.com
Judith’s Journey with Love
Photo by Dahlia Katz | Bluebeard’s Castle performance by Against the Grain Theatre
Falling in love is often a time of intense emotion and discovery. It’s when every glance feels electric, every word carries meaning, and the world seems bright - filled with endless possibilities. That person is always on your mind, and no matter what challenges arise, the memory of those moments can light the way forward.
Even in life’s hardest moments, the memory of love has a way of grounding us, reminding us of joy, connection, and hope.
Today, we open the chest for the 3rd time in Judith’s Journey - a chest filled with joy and love. As she unlocks parts of her past, Judith rediscovers fleeting moments that echo the thrill of falling in love. These memories, though bright and full of life, are bittersweet. They remind her of the beauty she’s experienced, but also of the fragility of holding on to them.
Judith clings to these moments, knowing they shape her identity, even as the inevitability of losing them makes her journey both heart-wrenching and profound.
Join the Conversation: Share Your Love Songs
Love and music go hand in hand, capturing the magic of connection in ways that span genres, decades, and cultures. To celebrate this universal love language, we’re creating a playlist dedicated to love - and we’d love your input!
Whether it’s an operatic aria that stirs your soul or a song that reminds you of your first love, your favourite tunes belong on this playlist. Help us show the many ways music celebrates love. Share your songs and be part of the story.
Here’s how it works: Submit your songs in the form below, we’ll build the ultimate love song playlist, and then we’ll share it with you to enjoy.
Fear and Adventure: Exploring Life’s Milestones Through Judith’s Journey
This week, we open the chest of Bluebeard’s Castle for the fourth time and step into a new theme: fear and adventure.
Fear and adventure are universal experiences that mark life’s greatest milestones. Whether it’s the excitement of becoming a parent, starting your education, learning to drive, or moving to a new city, we’ve all faced moments where fear and exhilaration walk hand in hand. Think back to the heroes you’ve rooted for over the years – their courage is never separate from their fear. Being afraid doesn’t diminish their strength; it reveals it. True courage is walking boldly toward the unknown, even when fear threatens to hold you back.
For Judith, her journey with dementia is the most harrowing adventure of all. It is a path filled with uncertainty, but also one shaped by the richness of a life lived — the moments and memories that define her, even as they begin to slip away.
Join the Conversation: Share Your Adventures
We invite you to reflect on a time in your life when you faced a challenge with courage. How did that adventure shape who you are today?
This week, we encourage you to put that memory into words—on paper. Send us a letter sharing your story. Your words will stand as a testament to the strength we all carry, even in life’s most challenging moments.
Send Your Stories To:
Edmonton Opera
11442 168 NW #102
Edmonton, AB T5M 3T9
Opening the Fifth Chest: Memories of Family and Love
Family can take many forms, differing not only in who makes up a family but in how they celebrate, what they do, and the traditions they hold dear.
For some, it’s the joy of returning to the same table, year after year, with the same loved ones, sharing the same dishes, stories, an laughter. These traditions never feel overdone; instead, they are cherished anchors in our lives, where we gather with those who matter most.
For others, it’s the bonds formed with chosen family - friends who have become just as important. These moments of connection remind us that family isn’t always about where we come from, but who we choose to walk through life with.
In Bluebeard’s Castle, we’ll witness Judith grappling with the heartbreaking reality of losing those moments. As she faces the loss of her memories, she is not only robbed of the memories of family gatherings she and Bluebeard once cherished but also of the ability to fully participate in them as herself.
Together, we’ll watch as Judith pleads for the chest to be opened again and again, revealing fragments of her life and the person she was before Alzheimer’s began reshaping her reality.
Join the Conversation: The Beauty of Family Gatherings
Do you have a photo that captures the joy and beauty of your families traditions and gatherings? We’d love to see it!
Share a glimpse of the connections, traditions, and love that have shaped your life.
Tag us in your family photos on social media or,
Email us at communication@edmontonopera.com
A Journey Through Loss and Resilience in Bluebeard’s Castle
Loss is one of life’s most profound experiences, woven into the fabric of our existence. It touches us all in different ways – through the passing of a loved one, the absence of a cherished companion, or the letting go of a future we once envisioned. In these moments, we often grapple with grief, confusion, and longing for what once was, but we also discover the depth of our resilience and the power of love that endures.
In Bluebeard’s Castle, Judith opens the chest for the 6th time to confront her most profound loss – the loss of her memories due to Alzheimer’s. Through this chest, we witness her struggle to hold on to fragments of a life once filled with love, joy, and meaning. For Judith, it is not only the memories she loses but also the ability to share in them, to fully participate in the world she once built alongside Bluebeard.
Bluebeard, too, must face his own devastating journey. The woman he loves, his lifelong partner, is still with him – yet she is slipping away. Together, their story reflects the bittersweet truth of loss: the ache of what is gone, but also the beauty of having loved so deeply in the first place.
This award-winning production brings these themes to life with stunning artistry and emotional depth, offering a profound reflection on love, loss, and the moments that define us. Bluebeard’s Castle invites us to reflect on our own experiences of letting go and cherishing what remains.
Join the Conversation: Share Your Comfort Recipe
Food often brings comfort in times of loss, grounding us in moments of connection and care. Do you have a recipe that soothes your soul or carries a special memory?
We invite you to share your recipe and the story behind it. Like the playlist we created for the theme of love, we’ll share these recipes so you can explore and connect with the foods that bring others comfort.
Submit your recipe and story to communication@edmontonopera.com or connect with us on social media.
