Review: L.A. Premiere of Héctor Armienta’s ZORRO! by Pacific Opera Project

Pacific Opera Project (POP) ended their 15th anniversary season with the Los Angeles premiere of Los Angeles native and Chicano composer Héctor Armienta’s 2022 opera ZORRO! for two spectacular performances on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 at the historic San Gabriel Mission Playhouse. The almost 100-year-old San Gabriel Mission Playhouse was the perfect setting for the 1811 tale of love, friendship, revenge and redemption, set amid the refurbished buildings that once housed Gabrielino natives who settled the area. This modern opera features male and female characters ready to take charge of their own lives while seeking desperately needed human connection.

All production photos by Nick Rutter for Pacific Opera Project

Enthusiastically directed by POP Artistic Director Josh Shaw and conducted by Caleb Yanez Glickman, ZORRO! was sung in English and Spanish with projected dual-language supertitles. Given that Armienta is also the founder and director of Opera Cultura, whose mission is to explore music theater and opera through a cross-cultural lens, he brilliantly succeeded in conveying a universal tale of unrequited love, jealousy and revenge in a way for both cultures to understand as well as identify with the emotional range required to authentically bring each character to life.

Ana Maria (Oriana Falla) and Carlota (Miriam Mouawad) confront each other over their mutual love for Diego.

Based on the adventures of Johnston McCully's legendary pulp hero, Armienta infuses his opera with the music and sounds of early-19th century Alta California, including flamenco, corrido, and mariachi, with all performed exquisitely by the 24-member POP Orchestra. All his ZORRO! characters switch between English and Spanish as they speak and sing, which may make it a bit difficult for speakers of only one language to read the supertitles since they are displayed exactly as each character performs them – interspersed with both languages simultaneously. But even so, it’s very easy to figure out who loves whom and who wants revenge given the incredible talent onstage.

Students of the secretive Order of Zazueta practice their dueling skills.

As a pre-show while audience members were taking their seats, Caliaca Ballet Folklorico Dancers entertained in authentic costumes to set the mood and timeframe in which we were going to be immersed. The opera begins in 1811 Spain, where Diego (tenor David Silvano, a whip-cracking and sword-fighting master), a student of the secretive Order of Zazueta, completes his training in swordsmanship and marksmanship. However, his master sends him back to Alta California, where his true destiny awaits.

Carlota (Miriam Mouawad) and (Diego) David Silvano reunite.

Upon arriving in the Pueblo de Los Ángeles, Diego reunites with his former love Carlota (mezzo-soprano Miriam Mouawad, whose side-eyed jealousy rules the stage, dressed in yellow and ready to sting like a bee to get what she wants) who has known many men in town during his absence, and childhood friend Ana Maria (soprano Oriana Falla, whose soaring voice expressing vividly raw emotions instantly grabs your attention) who is committed to helping the oppressed.

General Moncada (Luis Orozco), Carlota (Miriam Mouawad) and (Diego) David Silvano

Carlota introduces Diego to General Moncada (impressive baritone Luis Orozco), the brutal new alcalde (Mayor), who has been given authority to enforce the oppressive El Sistema de Castas. And since he is the most powerful man in town, Carlota has become his mistress, even though she is still in love with Diego, who learns his late father sympathized with the poor and left him a sword to wield in the name of justice. So of course, Diego falls in love with Ana Maria and hopes she will agree to leave town with him so he can stop fighting and avoid the unavoidable revolution at hand.

Ana Maria (Oriana Falla) and Diego (David Silvano) realize they are meant to be together.

But the two will have to deal with the two real problems facing them – Carota loves Diego and Moncada desires Ana Maria! And so is born the green-eyed monster jealousy, and plans for revenge fill the stage during hand-to-hand and sword-to-sword combat, performed with grace, style, and authentic choreography by each cast member involved.

Armando Contreras as Sergeant Gomez and Camila Lima as Luisa

Two supporting cast members of note are baritone Armando Contreras as Sergeant Gomez and soprano Camila Lima as Luisa, two villagers who provide much-needed comic relief during their initial seduction scene and then again during their afternoon delight session, which ended as both were brazenly unbuttoning their costumes as they rushed from the stage! Laughter and applause abounded.

Along with the multi-generational ensemble who enthusiastically fill the stage every chance they get, other supporting players of note include mezzo-soprano Jessica Gonzalez-Rodriguez as Toypurina, and baritone Sergio Manzo as Zazueta.

Zorro (David Silvano) challenges one of Moncada's officers in a duel to the death.

Act 1 ends with an exciting masquerade ball, during which Diego, disguised as cape and mask-wearing Zorro, rescues a prisoner from Moncada and leaves his signature “Z” mark, which earned great cheers and applause from the audience (as did each of Diego and Ana Maria’s gorgeous love duets ending with a passionate kiss). But all does not end well after Moncada challengers Zorro to a duel, during which Diego allows himself to be wounded to protect his identity.

Carlota (Miriam Mouawad), Diego (David Silvano), and Moncada (Luis Orozco)

Act II begins with Carlota discovering Moncada’s desire for Ana Maria. Thus, she has lost both men she thought would be the man she would marry. After bemoaning her fate to be alone and even though heartbroken, when Carlota discovers Moncada’s plan to arrest Ana Maria to get her away from Diego permanently, she decides to warn Ana Maria and help her escape, remembering the two were once good friends. However, Moncada arrives and stabs Carlota when she gets in his way, and then falsely accuses Ana Maria of her murder and has her arrested. But before dying, Carlota leaves a clue written in blood on a handkerchief, which Diego finds just as she is taking her last breath in a romantically tragic scene.

Toypurina (Jessica Gonzalez-Rodriguez) and Diego (David Silvano) arrive just as Carlota (Miriam Mouawad) takes her last breath.

The last scene begins as Ana Maria faces execution by firing squad, led by Sergeant Gomez who refuses to carry out Moncada’s orders. Brilliantly staged fencing matches ensue when Zorro appears in full black costume, during which Moncada is slain. Ana Maria and the Sergeant are saved, and the victorious Zorro reveals himself as Diego and promises to continue fighting for justice with Ana Maria by his side in the Pueblo de Los Angeles. And thus, in Armienta’s opera, the legend of Zorro is born!

Moncada (Luis Orozco) and Diego as Zorro (David Silvano) during their final duel.

It takes an entire village to take on such a large-scale project and make its short sold-out run such a great success for all involved. Along with kudos to Director/Designer Josh Shaw and Conductor Caleb Yanez Glickman, technical wizardry abounds among the POP Artistic Team, including Fight Choreographer Brian Danner, Sword Fights, Inc.; Choreographer Mario Vilches with assistant Edith Sosa; Lighting Designer Darrell Clark; Costumer Hailey Springer with assistant Robin Gurney, and Stage Manager Olivia Riddell who is to be commended for keeping all the scene changes organized and running smoothly, given the size of all the set components.  

Diego (Daivd Silvano) and Ana Maria's (Oriana Falla) love survives its every challenge.

I wish there were more performances of ZORRO! for you to see, but alas, there were only two shows. But don’t despair, Pacific Opera Project (POP) has a fabulous site-specific 16th season ahead starting August 1-2 with The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Stories, Il Fortunato Inganno Sept. 4-13, Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street Oct. 30-Nov. 8, the comical parody Handel’s Mess-Cider, a Pour-Atorio Sing-Along Dec, 14, La Rondine Feb, 6-7, 2027, and Cruzar la Cara de la Luna May 29-30, 2027. For more information, single tickets, or to save 15% by becoming a mainstage subscriber, visit www.pacificoperaproject.com  

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