Abstract:

The absence of Igbo‑language opera in Nigerian art‑music history presents a significant but unexplained cultural gap. While indigenous performance traditions possess rich dramaturgical resources, no sustained operatic practice has emerged. This study investigates the historical, institutional, and aesthetic conditions that shaped this non‑emergence and identifies pathways for future development. Using a qualitative, multi‑sited, and historically informed design, data were generated through archival research, semi‑structured interviews with twenty‑four experts, and dramaturgical analysis of extant Igbo and comparative operatic works. Findings reveal that the absence of Igbo opera is historically produced through fragmented creative attempts, structural barriers in music education and funding, and entrenched language hierarchies. Yet Igbo performance ecologies demonstrate strong operatic potential, suggesting that the genre’s future is culturally viable. The study contributes new theoretical insight into cultural absence and postcolonial genre formation, while offering practical models for composers, educators, and institutions. It concludes that developing Igbo‑language opera is both an artistic and cultural project capable of reshaping Nigerian art‑music futures.