South First Friday to Include Mariachi, Art, and ZORRO Preview From Opera San José

Opera San José is inviting audiences to the historic California Theatre for a free, electrifying evening of music, art, and interactive experiences as part of the Downtown San Jose SoFA District’s South First Friday art walk. Attendees will be immersed in a dynamic fusion of culture, featuring a vibrant Mariachi performance, thrilling opera showcases, and a special collaborative music set blending both musical styles. This event offers the public advance glimpses into Héctor Armienta’s Spanish language opera, Zorro, which premieres on Saturday, April 19, at the California Theatre in downtown San José. The night will also include the enchanting sounds of the mighty Wurlitzer organ and hands-on creative activities curated by Local Color. Guests can enjoy fresh popcorn and refreshing drinks while soaking in the lively atmosphere. 

 
"Our Zorro-themed South First Friday event invites the community to embrace an evening of music and interactive fun at San Jose’s jewel box, the California Theatre, where guests can enjoy enchanting performances, engage in hands-on activities, and immerse themselves in a night of discovery and celebration," said Opera San José General Director/CEO Shawna Lucey. 
 
The evening will kick off at 5:30pm with a vibrant Mariachi performance in the courtyard, joined by OSJ’s talented roster of opera singers for a unique fusion of both musical traditions. At 6:25pm, audiences will be treated to a selection of powerful arias from OSJ’s exceptional singers. Renowned organist Jerry Nagano will provide tunes on the theatre’s historic Wurlitzer organ and guests can unleash their creativity by making origami California poppies and exploring the Local Color Art Exhibit. Throughout the evening, participants can also enjoy complimentary popcorn and beverages at this exciting South First Friday event. 
 
Opera San José will conclude its 41st season with the Northern California premiere of Héctor Armienta’s Zorro. Latino stage director David Radamés Toro will make his OSJ debut staging the production, while Argentinian conductor Jorge Parodi, who last conducted Rigoletto for OSJ, will return to the podium. Inspired by California’s own heroic masked protector of the poor and disenfranchised created by Johnston McCulley, this swashbuckling opera is filled with ravishing romance and sword-fighting suspense. Set in the early 1800s in El Pueblo de Los Ángeles, still a colony of Spain, Zorro follows the adventures of Diego de la Vega, a Spanish nobleman who hides his identity to become a mysterious masked hero, the dashing defender of the less fortunate. With a lush score influenced by mariachi, flamenco, and corrido music, the caped crusader comes to operatic life, battling tyranny and corruption, juggling romantic interests of the beguiling daughter of the Governor, Carlota de Obragón, and the brave and kind Ana Maria Soza, and taking on his nemesis, the oppressive General Moncada. Zorro will be performed in English and Spanish with English and Spanish supertitles, April 19 – May 4, 2025 at the California Theatre, 345 South First Street, San José.
 

Photo credit: Bob Shomler