Opera Naples Explores The Life And Art Of Frida Kahlo in FRIDA This April

Audiences will enjoy an evening as colorful and enchanting as the surrealistic paintings and fiery personality of famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo as Opera Naples presents "Frida" Tuesday and Wednesday, April 4-5, at Cambier Park, 601 Park St., Naples. "Frida" is the grand finale of Opera Naples' third annual Festival Under the Stars, a two-week outdoor event March 21 to April 5.

Performances of "Frida," at 7 p.m. both nights will feature the Opera Naples Chorus and the Naples Festival Orchestra conducted by Maestro Ramón Tebar, music and artistic director of Opera Naples, one of Naples' leading performing arts organizations.

Tickets start at $28 and are available by calling 239-963-9050 or visiting OperaNaples.org.

With music by Robert Xavier Rodriguez, book by Hilary Blecher, lyrics and monologues by Migdalia Cruz, the revered 1991 opera celebrates the life, talent and legacy of Kahlo, who discovered painting while bedridden after a serious 1925 bus accident. Told in two acts, "Frida" recounts the artist's tortured life, from ongoing medical issues, her tumultuous relationship and two marriages to famed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera 21 years her senior, and their mutual infidelities - all expressed in her art.

Described by Rodriguez as an opera and musical theater, "Frida" intermingles mariachi-style music with authentic Mexican folk songs and dance in the tradition of zarzuela, ragtime, vaudeville and 1930s jazz with the composer's signature dramatic romantic, rich lyrical atonality and sense of humor.

"Frida sings as she lived - against the tide from the very first note," Rodriguez has said.

Acclaimed Soprano Catalina Cuervo will star as Frida, accompanied by Bass-baritone Ricardo Herrera appearing in the role of Diego Rivera.

Cuervo holds the distinction of having performed the most productions by any singer in history of both Rodriguez's "Frida" and Astor Piazzolla's opera "Maria de Buenos Aires." Other operatic roles include Nedda in "I Pagliacci," Magda in "La Rondine," Mimì and Musetta in "La bohème," Adriana in the "Zarzuela Los Gavilanes," and Amapola in "La Leyenda del Beso."

Herrera is a performer, teacher and stage director that has sung more than 50 operatic roles throughout the United States, Mexico and Europe with San Francisco Opera, Gotham Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, El Paso Opera, Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, Cincinnati Opera, Caramoor Festival, Atlanta Opera, among others. He was honored as the First Prize Award Winner of the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation Competition in New York City, and was also invited to participate in Plácido Domingo's Operalia World Opera Contest.

Individual and table seating level options are available. For tickets and more information about all festival events, call 239-963-9050 or visit OperaNaples.org.

Dedicated to presenting high-quality opera productions and concerts featuring prominent international performers and directors, Opera Naples is an artistic powerhouse. Since its inception, the company has presented well-known grand operas such as "La Bohème," "Carmen," "Faust," "La Traviata," "Madama Butterfly," "Rigoletto," "Tosca" and more. An advocate of community service and education outreach, Opera Naples has introduced opera to more than 60,000 children since its inception through various programs, including in-school programs and performances in Lee and Collier counties, the Resident Artists Program and Summer Youth Program. The company is also committed to nurturing the region's promising young talent through the Opera Naples Academy led by a faculty of revered opera luminaries who offer an immersive program of vocal instruction, lectures and masterclasses. The company has earned local, regional and state government support.

For more information, visit OperaNaples.org or contact info@OperaNaples.org.

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