The Camp: an Opera in Two Acts
28 February 2025 Concert Review Featured Music Reviews
In The Camp, the haunting legacy of 1942 is transformed into a powerful operatic narrative, melding the pain of wrongful imprisonment with the resilience found in community.
Performed in English, The Camp follows the Shimano family—father Mas, mother Haruko, and daughters Suzy and Rebecca—as they are forcibly removed from their Southern California home in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor and sent to an incarceration camp. Among the 120,000 others of Japanese ancestry imprisoned by their own country, the family struggles to endure their shared trauma, finding strength in the friendships they form and the hope that one day, they might return home.
While the entire cast delivered strong performances in this emotionally charged piece, Roberto Perlas Gómez as Mas and Habin Kim as Rebecca stood out. Their individual moments were compelling, but when their voices blended with the ensemble, the harmonies soared, creating some of the most breathtaking moments of the night. The birthday scene at the end of Act 1 was particularly poignant, highlighting how quickly strangers can become a lifeline to one another in times of hardship.
Before the performance, I stopped by the adjacent JACCC gift shop, where the attendant—who had already seen a preview—told me to keep an eye on the set design by Yuri Okahana-Benson. It seemed like an unusual detail to emphasize for an opera, but they were absolutely right. The set was remarkably versatile, with props that seamlessly transitioned between locations, enhancing the storytelling in subtle yet effective ways.
Though there were a couple of minor timing issues between stage movements and the orchestra’s sound effects, the cast handled them with grace, ensuring they never became a distraction. The orchestra itself was outstanding, with the integration of traditional Japanese instruments like the shakuhachi and koto adding a rich cultural texture to the music. Their presence was never overused, but rather woven in at just the right moments to heighten the emotional weight of the story.
Now, 83 years after these events, the pain and injustice of the camps still echo. Manzanar and other incarceration sites remain places of remembrance, where annual pilgrimages serve as a testament to those who endured. In today’s world, The Camp is a vital reminder of our shared humanity—and the responsibility we have to ensure history does not repeat itself.
The Camp runs at the Aratani Theater in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, through Sunday, March 2nd. For tickets and more information, visit the JACCC website.
by Marmar Tha Midboss of KUCI’s LAG Radio