12/20: Cape Town. 291122. Cape Town opera sensation Janet Speelman plays the role of Mem, the lead researcher and mother of the main character Kitsune- a child with a disability in composer Paola Prestini’s new opera Sensorium Ex. The opera which forms part of Artscape Theatre Centre’s ArtsAbility Festival aims to build a more inclusive approach to Opera, placing access and inclusion at the centre of casting and artistic development. It was work shopped at Artscape’s ArtsAbility Festival in South Africa’s from November 13 and will premier on 30 November till December 3The workshop focused on the audition process for the nonverbal opera, Sensorium Ex, This ongoing process and platform unites community impact, music, science and film through an operatic lens. International partners will gather in Africa to contribute to the ideation of how the arts play an empowering role to enhance the dignity and confidence of persons with disabilities.In addition to a casting call for the lead role of Kitsune and members of the chorus, the workshop (led by choreographer and associate director Jerron Herman, and composer Paola Prestini) presents a culminating moment in the opera, where the lead nonverbal character, Kitsune, explores his sense of voice through music and movement. Picture: Ian Landsberg.