Helen Epega: Opera, Synesthesia, and the Invention of Access

A live show can be thrilling for one person and terrifying for another, especially when the room offers only vague warnings like “flashing lights.” We sit down with composer, writer, and inventor Helen Epega (The Venus Bushfires) to unpack how synesthesia shapes her world, why it can feel magical and overwhelming at the same time, and how that lived experience becomes a blueprint for better accessibility in the arts. We trace Helen’s journey from Nigeria to London and into opera, where she cr...