Commissioned by The Opera People, and composed by Jonathan Shin, with a libretto by Joel Tan, Beacon is a science fiction opera that explores the conflict between the insatiable vastness of human ambition and our deep desire for intimacy and human (or non-human) connection. Klara, a scientist, embarks on a mission of a lifetime, journeying into outer space in search of a beacon, and the culmination of her life’s work. Haunted by her abandonment of her partner Phoebe, an English professor, Klara’s quest leads her deep into space and deeper into the mysteries of love, memory, and the yearnings that make us truly human.