The Divine Kiss
The Divine Kiss is an opera by Tasmanian-Greek composer Constantine Koukias. It premiered in 1998 in Brisbane and explores the seven virtues: prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance, faith, hope and charity. It was commissioned by Access Arts Queensland and the Brisbane Festival and featured performers with disabilities, including blindness. One performer said it was the most welcoming opera she had experienced since losing her sight. The title reflects how different cultures view disability—some see it as a blessing, others as a curse; the composer says perception shapes reality and hope. Critics noted striking imagery in the show, such as a giant seahorse among airplanes, a blind girl looking at the night sky, an astronaut through a wall of fire, and Father Christmas speaking Hebrew. The opera is sung in modern and classical Greek, Hebrew, German and English, with a libretto drawn from many sources, including the Bible, Luther, Jung, The I Ching and more. Pre-recorded tapes were made from workshops with Access Arts members in 1997 and 1998 in Brisbane.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 13:32 (CET).