When Seattle Opera's presentation of "Florencia de la Amazons" opens at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall on Feb. 26, it will be returning by popular demand.
Daniel Catán's opera, originally commissioned in 1994 by Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera and Seattle Opera, premièred in Houston in 1996. Its lush music and fantastical Spanish-language libretto have been heavily influenced by the works of Gabriel García Márquez.
Seattle Opera presented "Florencia" in March of 1998, and it was an unprecedented event: the first Mexican opera to be commissioned in Spanish by any American opera company. Local audiences enthusiastically received it and embraced composer Catán.
After opening night, all subsequent performances were completely sold out. The critics raved, pronouncing the work "ravishing," "brimming with passion," "beautifully moving and easy to enjoy, even for an opera novice," and "a powerful and affecting work of theater fueled by ardent and varied music."
Daniel Catán was in Seattle conducting previews, seminars and lectures. It was an exciting time for the Seattle Opera and the city of Seattle, launching a new, modern opera that lived up to the old musical traditions and appealed to such a wide audience.
I was part of that first-night performance, adding my bravos to the standing ovation, so richly deserved by the singers and all who were involved with the production. I have many fond memories of the 1998 "Florencia."
In that year, Andrew Morton's book on Princess Diana was making headlines. At the time, I had several excited calls informing me that Andrew Morton was in Seattle and proposing that I really should do an interview with him for my radio program and perhaps get some "inside information."
Andrew Morton was indeed in town, and I did meet with him. But he had no information about Princess Di because he wasn't that Andrew Morton - he was the associate director of the Seattle Opera. He was a very bright young man, a native of Norfolk, England, and a graduate of Cambridge University, with many opera directing credits to his name.
We enjoyed lunch, accompanied by my son, yet another Andrew. Many quotes from Monty Python, a plethora of puns, bits of very British banter and a generous helping of well-remembered quotes from "Beyond the Fringe" were shared by the three of us amid peals of laughter.
This was also much to the amusement of fellow diners at the sedate Swedish Club on Queen Anne, who were pleased to note that their smoked salmon was very similar to the Scottish variety, and that a meatball was a meatball, whether it hailed from Sweden or Southampton.
There is much to be said for British humor.
Back to the Opera. The Brits were very well represented in the 1998 production. Besides Andrew Morton of Dorset, there were Catherine Zuber, the costume designer, and lighting designer Paul Pyant, both from London. Composer Daniel Catán himself had studied in England and was associated with the Glyndebourne Opera.
They're all back, along with set designer Robert Israel, conductor Vjekoslav Sutej and Francesca Zambello (production), who contributed to the 1998 success. The reason is that Speight Jenkins received so many letters and requests from audiences to bring "Florencia" back to Seattle; as soon as the compulsory seven years had passed since the first production, the opera was scheduled anew with the same production team. Composer Catán has been in town doing special previews at Microsoft.
Two world-class singers return to Seattle to perform the leads: Nancy Gustafson, as opera diva Florencia Grimaldi, was last in Seattle in 1990 as Antonia in "Les Contes d'Hoffmann"; Nathan Gunn (Riolobo), one of the hottest lyric baritones in the world, sang here in "The Magic Flute" in 2000. D'Arcy Bleiker (Alvaro), another Brit, Frances Lucey (Rosalba) from Ireland and Brazilian Luis-Ottavio Faria (The Captain) will all be making their Seattle debuts this month.
Catán's magical opera is set on a boat trip up the Amazon. Both opera and production capture the eerie and magical mood of the jungle, with its sweltering heat and sounds of the night. The set features a life-size riverboat (circa 1910), built here in the Seattle Opera Scenic Studios. This is no ordinary cruise. The passengers have intertwining pasts and secret longings that will be revealed as the voyage unfolds.
This is a journey of the heart and a discovery of the soul, set to lush music that The Seattle Times called "tuneful, singable and listener-friendly." No matter whether you are new to opera or already a fan, you won't want to miss this stunning production.
If you have seen "Florencia" in the past, come back and enjoy it again. If not, come and discover it as a major addition to the Seattle Opera, for which we have the foresight and risk-taking dedication of Speight Jenkins to thank.
We are indeed fortunate that our fair city possesses a world-class opera company, supported by many patrons of the arts, including Microsoft, and James and Sherry Raisbeck. There will be previews by Speight Jenkins all this week on 98.1 KING-FM. The show runs Feb. 26 through March 12. Tickets are still available; call 1-800-426-1619 for more information.
TTFN
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