Orango
(Conceptual)
Seligman Theatre
2024

Composed by Dmitri Shostakovich
Director: Patrick Connellan
Set and Costume Designer: Lo Money 

Orango is an unfinished opera found after Shostakovich's death, following a genetically engineered, half-man, half-ape who embodies western capitalism before being captured by the Soviets and put on display. It is a satirical piece, subtly poking fun at the structures of state power. However, the story was hidden away right before the great wave of Stalin's terror in 1932. This design exaggerates the satire even further to question what this piece reflects to a modern audience.