Elizabeth Caballero Joins the Cast of FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONAS at Opera San Jose

In a last-minute change, internationally acclaimed soprano Elizabeth Caballero will take over the title role in the Bay Area premiere of Daniel Catán’s captivating opera, Florencia en el Amazonas presented by Opera San José.

The singer is stepping in to replace the originally announced soprano Marlen Nahhas.

Said Opera San José General Director/CEO Shawna Lucey, “We wish Marlen all the best and we are profoundly grateful for Elizabeth, who is leaping to our aid to take on this important role for a historic moment for Opera San José as we present the first Spanish language opera on our mainstage.” Caballero, who has been seen at opera houses around the world including frequent starring roles at The Metropolitan Opera, is fortunately familiar with the role of Florencia. She has given critically acclaimed performances in Florencia en el Amazonas at Madison Opera, Nashville Opera, and New York City Opera where she was hailed as “stunning, singing with beautiful passion” (New York Classical Review) and “plush-toned, expressive” (The New York Times). Florencia en el Amazonas will be presented April 20 - May 5, 2024 (performance dates/times below) at the California Theatre, 345 South First Street, San José.  For more information or to purchase tickets ($55–$195), the public can visit operasj.org or call 408-437-4450 (open Monday through Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm).   

Concluding its 40th anniversary season, Florencia en el Amazonas marks its debut at the California Theatre as Opera San José’s first Spanish language opera performed on its mainstage. In this two-act work, Mexican composer 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. Opera San José Director of Music Joseph Marcheso will conduct.  

Born in Havana, Cuba, Caballero built a reputation as “an intelligently responsive actress” (Opera News) after a string of early successes throughout the United States: Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at New York City Opera, Cio-Cio San in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at Lyric Opera Kansas City, Alice Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff with Virginia Opera, Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at Madison Opera, and Susanna in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro in her company debut at Seattle Opera, followed by a triumphant performance as Mimì in Puccini’s La bohème. Caballero’s dramatically compelling interpretation of her signature role, Violetta in Verdi’s La traviata, led to recent performances of the role in houses around the world including The Metropolitan Opera, Opera Carolina, Opera de Costa Rica, Florentine Opera, Madison Opera, Pacific Symphony, and the Orlando Philharmonic. She was engaged to perform the role of Musetta in La bohème for The Metropolitan Opera after capturing attention in the role at New York City Opera where The New York Times hailed her as “the evening’s most show-stopping performance offering a thrilling balance of pearly tone, exacting technique and brazen physicality.” She subsequently returned to The Met in its new production of Bizet’s Carmen as part of The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD series and the role of Mimi in the production of Puccini’s La bohème. Recent international house debuts include Staatsoper Stuttgart as Mimi in Puccini’s La bohème, Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City as Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello, and at Teatro de la Zarzuela Madrid singing the title role in the European premiere of Roig’s Cecilia Valdés based on the Cuban novel of the same name. She also returned to The Metropolitan Opera for its production of Verdi’s La traviata. 

Florencia en el Amazonas, the third opera by acclaimed Mexican composer Daniel Catán, with a libretto by Marcela Fuentes-Berain, includes motifs taken from and characters inspired by the novel Love in the Time of Cholera by Colombian Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel García Márquez. It 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 is presented under license by Associated Music Publishers, Inc. copyright owners. 

“Classically Curious” night for Florencia en el Amazonas will be held Friday, April 26, bringing together people ages 21-40 who have a passion for deepening their involvement with opera. This young professionals program was created to introduce new audiences to opera, offering access to discounted tickets, exclusive behind-the-scenes opportunities, and social and community events that will connect young adult opera lovers.  More information can be found atgo.operasj.org/ClassicallyCurious.