WHEN:
Friday, January 31, 2025 at 7:30PM
And
Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 2:00PM
WHERE:
Raleigh Memorial Auditorium
Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
2 E South St
Raleigh, NC 27601
A spokesperson describes the event as follows:
“...Composed by Daniel Catán with a libretto by Marcela Fuentes-Berain, Florencia en el Amazonas draws inspiration from the magical realism of Gabriel García Márquez. The narrative follows the renowned opera singer Florencia Grimaldi as she journeys through the Amazon River, incognito, in search of her long-lost lover, a butterfly hunter who has vanished into the jungle. As the steamboat El Dorado navigates the mystical waters, passengers encounter challenges that blur the lines between reality and fantasy, leading to profound personal transformations.
In the title role is Cuban-American soprano Elaine Alvarez, who recently covered both Florencia and Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly for The Metropolitan Opera. Mexican-Lebanese-American soprano Marlen Nahhas will portray Rosalba, the young journalist writing a biography about Florencia. Hillsborough, NC native Kate Farrar (previously seen at NCO in The Magic Flute) sings the role of Paula, a woman seeking to rekindle her marriage, with baritone Levi Hernandez (La Bohème and Manon Lescaut) as Alvaro, her husband. NC Opera regular Jason Karn takes on the role of the ship’s pilot, Arcadio, with bass Ricardo Lugo appearing as the ship’s captain. Bass-baritone Richard Ollarsaba (Carmen and Il Trovatore) portrays Riolobo, a mystical figure guiding the journey..."
