Alexina B

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Image courtesy of Gran Teatre del Liceu

Inspiration for this tragic opera comes from the story of Adélaïde Herculine Barbin, also known as Alexina B., an intersex person born in France in 1838. Don’t miss the world premiere at Barcelona’s Liceu.

Alexina was born a girl and grew up in a convent. Later, while working as a teacher, she fell in love with a female companion. In a society where accepting differences was a complex matter and heterosexuality was the norm, Alexina re-defined herself as a man, and changed her legal sex and identity to become Abel Barbin. However, unable to adapt to her new life, she grew increasingly isolated and ultimately killed herself.

This striking tale forces us to examine ourselves as a community and to see the damage our condemnations can  cause. With a libretto by Irène Gayraud and sets by Marta Pazos, this three-act opera tells of a struggle for identity which, for Alexina, ends in a literal leap into the void.

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