Tabula Rasa

Set in 1920s Paris during the vibrant Dadaist movement, *Tabula Rasa* traces the turbulent relationship between American photographer Man Ray and Kiki de Montparnasse, the iconic Parisian model and artist. When Man Ray discovers Kiki, she becomes his muse and lover, captivating him with her charm and form. Yet as their bond deepens, his artistic obsession curdles into possessiveness—he grows resentful when she poses for other artists, viewing her as his exclusive creative property. The opera explores the fraught tension between artistic inspiration and control, with Man Ray wrestling between his drive to create and his desire to dominate. A crucial confrontation erupts over the very meaning of being a muse, forcing Kiki to assert her autonomy and reclaim her independence. Years later, Man Ray continues photographing women, haunted by her absence. The final tableau gathers models and Dada artists in an ambiguous scene where Man Ray turns toward an unseen sound, leaving the narrative suspended in darkness—a blank slate of unanswered questions.