Opera San José presents “Florencia en el Amazonas” at California Theatre

Opera San José will conclude its 40th Anniversary season with the Bay Area premiere of "Florencia en el Amazonas." Marrying romance with magical realism, this enthralling opera was co-commissioned by Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and Seattle Opera – making it the first Spanish-language opera to be commissioned by major U.S. opera houses. "Florencia en el Amazonas" premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in November 2023 and this spring will debut at the California Theatre as Opera San José’s first Spanish-language opera performed on its mainstage. In this two-act opera, Mexican composer Daniel Catán transports audiences to a 20th century riverboat sailing the Amazon River. There, a famous opera singer is returning home to perform, while hoping to reunite with her lover, a butterfly hunter who has disappeared into the jungle. A story rich in allusion that bridges drama and fantasy, "Florencia en el Amazonas" will be performed in Spanish with English and Spanish supertitles. Celebrated Latina international director Crystal Manich returns to OSJ where she helmed the company’s award-winning production of West Side Story. Manich was also nominated for a 2021 Emmy Award for her production of Daniel Catán’s La Hija de Rappaccini. Working alongside Manich, Opera San José has cast a trio of astronomical talent to inhabit the female characters in the opera: soprano Marlen Nahhas in the title role of Florencia Grimaldi, soprano Melissa Sondhi as Rosalba, and mezzo-soprano Guadalupe Paz as Paula. Former Resident Artist and favorite of OSJ audiences, baritone Efraín Solís, joins the cast as Alvaro while tenor César Delgado will play Arcadio. Baritone Ricardo José Rivera – who charmed audiences as Figaro in this season’s The Barber of Seville – returns as Riolobo and bass-baritone Vartan Gabrielian will take on the role of Captain. Opera San José Director of Music Joseph Marcheso will conduct.