For centuries, the field of music creation was dominated by men. Today, that is slowly changing, as more women composers emerge on the international stage — creating fascinating, powerful works and earning prestigious recognition. Many are now celebrated for their collaborations with the film industry, and their music is increasingly featured across major streaming platforms.

But in classical music, many works by women remain unheard and unproduced.

The Muffled Voices Festival is the first international initiative of its kind, dedicated entirely to uplifting and presenting the works of women in opera. Its groundbreaking inaugural season in 2024 featured ten fully staged opera premieres by seven women composers performed over seven evenings during a six-month tour, filling sold-out halls and attracting thousands of live-broadcast viewers.

Coming to the U.S. in 2025–2026

In its second season, Lyrica Classic brings Muffled Voices to American audiences with operas born from real histories — shaped by exile, trauma, and moral courage — as well as timeless mythology that continues to speak to us today. These works are more than music; they are memory, dialogue, and change.

The 2025–2026 program includes two powerful chamber operas, each receiving its U.S. premiere:

• Baruchs Schweigen (Baruch’s Silence) – by Israeli composer Ella Milch-Sheriff
• Russian Women – by Russian composer Tatiana Chudova
• Ariadne – by British composer Elena Langer

Together, these operas illuminate hidden and suppressed stories shaped by war, exile, and abandonment — from the trauma of post-Holocaust Jewish families, to the sacrifices of Decembrist wives exiled to Siberia, to Ariadne’s mythic solitude on the shores of Naxos. Each work brings new musical life to histories and voices too often left unheard, told through the artistry of women composers.

Why It Matters

The festival places a special focus on chamber opera — a genre often overlooked due to perceived commercial risks. With its shorter form, intimate scale, and emotional depth, chamber opera is not only artistically rich but also more accessible to younger generations. The festival’s blend of traditional and contemporary styles, bold narratives, and modern storytelling has successfully drawn in new audiences.

We invite you to embark on a musical journey where boundaries dissolve and the voices of women resound clearly and powerfully.

Muffled Voices is more than music — it is a statement. A celebration. And a call to listen.