An old woman turns to the quilts of her Métis grandmother to rediscover forgotten ancestral teachings, uncovering through story and song the generational cost of family secrets — and, ultimately, the wisdom of a matriarchal line that cannot be denied.

The Song Blanket is a 75 minute theatrical gathering that blends story, song, and audience participation to explore memory, ancestry, and the wisdom carried across generations. With the support of three guest artists, the old woman searches her grandmother’s quilts for what has been forgotten, uncovering the hidden costs of family secrets and the enduring strength of a matriarchal line. Audiences are invited not just to witness her journey, but to sing and participate — creating a living tapestry of voices. Through music, storytelling, and reflection on sewing and matriarchal arts often overlooked in Western tradition, the show reminds everyone gathered that they carry ancestral teachings in their bones. It’s an uplifting, interactive experience that encourages, unites, and inspires — a chance to reclaim, reconnect, and remember.

“In The Song Blanket, I bring forward the quilt as a holder of traditional teachings. An ordinary item, familiar to many cultures, the quilt lives in the world of ‘craft’ and ‘folk art’ and is often identified as ‘women’s work.’ I see the quilt as part of our collective memory, and I place it at the centre of this project. Through the teachings held in the quilts my grannie made, I explore cultural loss, the impacts of colonization, and matriarchal knowledge as blood memory. I view this as a grassroots movement — one that unites the classical musician with their work as storyteller, using voice and community music-making to create change.”

— Rebecca Hass

Through the character of the old woman, Rebecca calls forward the matriarchs who travel with us, wrapping all in the transformative vibration of music. Joined by local guest artists, audiences journey through stories and songs — both new and old — as the old woman seeks to remember and reclaim.

NEW MUSIC

The Song Blanket features a commissioned song cycle, with music by Ian Cusson and words by Michelle Poirier-Brown and Rebecca Hass. The evening also premieres several new compositions by Rebecca, including a piece for solo voice, a work for solo voice and Native flute and a participatory song written for audience and solo voices.

JOURNEY TO THE STAGE

• November 2025 — Workshop development, hosted by Pacific Opera Victoria (British Columbia, Canada)
• February 2026 — Second workshop, Ithaca College (New York, USA)
• February 20, 2026 — World Premiere, Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre, Symphony Space (NYC)

New York City, February 2026 Premiere