The opera is a poetic tale about hope and about nature’s primeval force. Amid barren scorched landscape, a lone half-dead tree and an old rat are struggling to survive. This allegorical story highlights nature’s strength and the ability to regenerate, showing how new life can be born even at the darkest moments. What emerges is an emotional portrayal of struggle and revival, which leaves the audience with a profound message of lasting hope. I really wanted to give young people more hope with my tale; to show them what great power lies dormant in nature. As soon as we stop destroying it, nature can regenerate by itself in ways that humans may find truly mind-boggling. 

Urszula Zajączkowska 

The protagonists face a catastrophic climate change: water scarcity, dry winds, and scorching sun. Helpless, they look for shelter or rescue. The Rat digs holes. The Tree stands still, as if lifeless. Many others do not survive and become but a memory. Only an unexpected turn of events or a miracle can save them. While digging yet another hole, the Rat comes across the lyrics of a life-bringing song. It must be sung by everyone in order to work, though. Will the Rat and the Tree succeed in staving off disaster? Can a song really repair the Earth’s climate? 

A contemporary “involved fable,” The Rat and the Tree takes up humankind’s present-day problems and expresses them in a child-friendly language. The artists aim at a positive message, which can be summarised as follows: When many hearts and voices get involved together, we can jointly take care of our future. The opera is thus a hymn of praise for the spirit of community, involvement, and determination, which impact our daily choices. Personally, I view this opera from the perspective of the silent Tree, which to me represents a person excluded from the community. I identify with the Tree and try to include it in the sense-of-togetherness. The production has been inspired by persons with autism spectrum disorder and our collaborations with them – an exchange of sensitivities and thoughts. This is a key experience that makes us wiser. 

Robert Drobniuch