All the Truths We Cannot See: A Chernobyl Story is a poignant opera exploring the personal and political conflicts surrounding the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Set against the backdrop of one of the most catastrophic events in modern history, the piece examines themes of power, truth, and the resilience of life.

Sean Cawelti served as Video Designer for both the world premiere in Helsinki and the U.S. premiere in Los Angeles, developing visual elements that layered realism and allegory. The video design incorporated archival images of the Chernobyl site and the nearby city of Pripyat, highlighting the haunting contrast between life before the explosion and the desolation that followed. These visuals were paired with hand-drawn illustrations and lush, imagined representations of a mythic forest — evoking a sense of hope, memory, and natural resilience.

The projections reflected both the historical gravity of the opera’s setting and the emotional undercurrents of its characters. The visual palette moved fluidly from stark realism to painterly abstraction, reminding audiences that while human structures may fail, nature inevitably endures.

This international collaboration brought together artists from the University of the Arts Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy and the USC Thornton School of Music. The opera’s timely themes, paired with a deeply layered visual language, resulted in a production that was both intellectually and emotionally resonant.