Pillars of dolomite support the overlying rock in this subterranean amphitheater. A shaft of light streams through the entrance, giving the cave a luminosity that’s magical and dreamlike in the midst of the darkness emanating from the depths of the mine. The temperature is a constant 55 degrees. A water droplet dislodges from above and drops into a small puddle on the floor of the cave. The sound fills the space.

In this dreamlike atmosphere, more than 35 musicians, dancers and artists will invite the audience to share in an immersive and multi-sensory community experience this Saturday and Sunday at the Widow Jane Mine in Rosendale. The event, “Earth Opera: Seeds Under a Nuclear Winter,” centers around finding light, beauty and hope in the darkest of times.

At the helm of this yearly performance is Kingston resident Elizabeth Clark who received guidance from her own dreams, visions and spiritual retreats, sowing the seeds for "Earth Opera." The event is billed as a recreation of spiritual visions, dreams and stories through world sacred music, performance art, movement and light experiments.

“There is conflict in the world and in the show,” says Clark, “the intensity and tension across the globe. The carelessness, the destructive ways we find ourselves living with. But that’s not the end of it. In this work there’s a lot of hope, rebirth and light and finding beauty and interconnection. The show will be an experience that moves through both the darkness and the light.”

Since its closure in 1970 the Widow Jane Mine has been used as a recording studio, a venue for plays and an art exhibition space. It has been sought after for its atmosphere and its exceptional and unique acoustics. Clark reflects on this: “The Widow Jane Mine is timeless. It’s an experience in itself to be in that space — the acoustics, working within the elements. It’s just the right space for a performance like 'Earth Opera' that centers around our deep interconnection with all living things, our planet and each other.”

Clark gives us a glimpse of what to expect: A vivid experimental theater piece orchestrated for harp, ethereal choral voices, South American/Andean instruments, Indonesian gamelan, chamber strings, droning harmoniums, dulcimer, bells, piano, horns, bagpipes, water phone, euphone, gongs, ancient Celtic horns, brass and choir. The "Earth Opera" steps into otherworldly realms and unfolds upon a non-linear and timeless path, similar to the way we dream.

There will be two performances of “Earth Opera: Seeds Under a Nuclear Winter” on Saturday, Aug. 31, and on Sunday, Sept. 1, both at 3 p.m. For tickets and information go to www.mamalamamusic.com/sunw