"u" is the first
opera in the
Klingon language, billed as "the first authentic Klingon opera on Earth". It was composed by Eef van Breen to a libretto by Kees Ligtelijn and Marc Okrand under the artistic direction of Floris Schönfeld. The opera tells the story of Kahless the Unforgettable, said to be the first Klingon emperor.
Its title is "u", which can be translated as "universe" or "universal". It will be the basis for the opera "u", the first complete, authentic Klingon opera here on Earth.
The Klingon language is the constructed language spoken by the fictional Klingons in the
Star Trek universe. Deliberately designed by Marc Okrand to be "alien", it has a number of typologically uncommon features.
There are around 12 fluent speakers of Klingon in 1996, according to Lawrence Schoen, director of the KLI (Klingon Language Institute).
The first Klingon opera is still playing in the Netherlands. You can also buy the DVD, which includes an exclusive interview about the opera with Mark Okrand and other bonus material.
