america tropical
America Tropical
America Tropical was composed by David Conte with libretto by Oliver Mayer. “..ambitious opera premiere connects L. A.’s divided past to a hopeful future…an often compelling folk opera meditation on race, class, and other social divisions…engaging and intriguing…- Robert Hurwitt, San Francisco Chronicle.
In 1932, Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros came to Los Angeles and painted the mural known as La America Tropical. Its subject matter was so controversial that its central image of a crucified Indian was painted out and effectively silenced. Exploring themes of exonomic and political inequality this opera follows Siqueiros as he paints and tells the tumultuous tale of the history of Los Angeles, from its founding in 1781 to the 1992 insurrection. His creation also comes to life with its own voice, opinions and hopes – just as the image in the actual mural has begun to ghost through, refusing to be silenced.
Funding was provided by USC’s Vision and Voices program and the Autry National Center.
Performance – Wednesday, April 20th
Click below for more information
Cast and Crew
Siqueiros - Adrian Rosales»Lara - Abram St. Amand-Poliakoff»
Maria - Marisa Johnson»
Moreno - Ashley Faatoalia»
Holliday - Nick Volkert»
Camero - Michael Bannett»
Navarro - Andrew Pardini»
The India - Quinn Middleman»
Director – Nathan Singh
Music Director – Ryan Zwahlen
Stage Manager – Rose-Yvonne Colletta
Répétiteur- Jeanette Louise Yaryan
Orchestra – members of The Definiens Project
Flute – Diana Morgan
Clarinet – Jennifer Stevenson
Violin – Heather Crawford
Cello – Lars Hoeffs
Bass – Stephen Pfeiffer
Piano – Jeanette Louise Yaryan
Baritone, Adrian Rosales is pursuing a Masters of Music at the University of Southern California and is a student of opera-star, Rod Gilfry. Having also earned his Bachelors at USC, Rosales has performed in many scenes programs in addition to the roles of ‘Vicar’ in Benjamin Britten’s “Albert Herring” and ‘David’ Samuel Barber’s “A Hand of Bridge” with the USC Thornton and Chamber Opera. In addition, he will play ‘Marco’ in their upcoming production of Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi”.Powered by Hackadelic Sliding Notes 1.6.4Abram St. Amand Poliakoff (Tenor), performed in the chorus of Pocket Opera’s productions of Carmen (7/09) and La Traviatta (7/10). He played a Midshipman in the San Francisco Opera production, Billy Bud, as well as with the chorus of Othello and Pagliacci/Cavalleria Rusticana as a child and in West Bay Opera’s La Boehm. Currently a sophomore at Thornton School of Music Abram trains with Janice McVeigh.Powered by Hackadelic Sliding Notes 1.6.4
Marisa Johnson is a B.M. Vocal Performance major at USC. She has performed in several community theatre musicals, as well as numerous Opera scenes at Bakersfield College, Cal State Bakersfield, and USC. Some of her favorite roles were Maria in Berstein’s West Side Story, Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen, and Dorabella in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte. Marisa recently headlined the 2nd Annual Broadway Gala at the Jeanie Madson Gallery and sang with Andrea Bocelli along with the USC Chorale ensemble for his Christmas Special on PBS. She has won many awards including Female Vocalist of the Year at the Kern County’s Most Talented Singer competition, Bakersfield’s Idol, Best in Classipop at the Best New Talent Awards, a Talent Award at Miss California, and the current title of Miss San Fernando Valley ’10. You can see her next semester in the USC Thornton opera scenes and she will be headlining Sterling’s Upstairs at Vitello’s in May. It is her wish to become a Classical recording artist and share her love with classical music with the rest of the world.Powered by Hackadelic Sliding Notes 1.6.4
Ashley Faatoalia is a versatile and inspirational singer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Ashley has been singing for as long as he can remember. He studied voice at Chapman University and since then he has been writing music and performing throughout the Southern California area. Whether it’s Opera, Pop, Soul or Gospel, Ashley strives to take his listeners on a journey through the power of song.
Ashley’s most recent engagements include: Candide with The Los Angeles Philharmonic at the historic Hollywood Bowl, The Festival Play of Daniel with Los Angeles Opera, his debut performance with San Francisco Opera as The Crab Man in Porgy and Bess, his debut performance with San Francisco Lyric Opera as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, and his performance with Operafestival di Roma as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte.
Powered by Hackadelic Sliding Notes 1.6.4Nick Volkert is a Baritone studying with Gary Glaze at USC. Among his most enjoyed roles have been il Dio in the U.S. premiere of Handel’s “Silla”, Aeneas in “Dido and Aeneas”, and Freddy in “My Fair Lady”. Aside from singing he enjoys composing, cartooning, and hiking with his dog in the hills of his native Oakland.Powered by Hackadelic Sliding Notes 1.6.4
A native of San Francisco, Michael Bannett grew up singing child roles with the San Francisco Opera. Now a baritone, he is pursuing his Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from the University of Southern California, where he studies with Rod Gilfry and W. Stephen Smith. At USC, he has performed in several opera productions, including Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Wagner’s Das Liebesverbot. He is very excited to be a part of America Tropical.Powered by Hackadelic Sliding Notes 1.6.4
Andrew Thomas Pardini (Baritone) has performed in such mainstage roles with the Townsend Opera Players as Marullo (Rigoletto), Schaunard (La Bohème) and Samuel (Un Ballo in Maschera). Other favorite roles include Father (Hansel and Gretel), Javert (Les Misérables), Father (Ragtime), Major General (Pirates of Penzance), Colas (Bastien and Bastienne) and Kit Raccoon (In A Garden). Mr. Pardini is a recipient of the Kristina Townsend Memorial Vocal Award, two Fresno Opera League Scholarships, and Command Performances at CMEA competitions in 2004 and 2006. Furthermore, Mr. Pardini has had the pleasure of performing in the USC Opera Department’s productions of Bellini’s I Capuleti e I Montecchi, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and was offered the chance to cover the role of Brighella in the West Coast premier of Wagner’s Das Liebesverbot. He was also granted the opportunity to perform the title role in the Chamber Opera of USC’s production of Susa’s The Love of Don Perlimplín, as vell as Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors in the spring of 2008, thereby making the transition from Amahl – his first operatic role – to Melchior. Mr. Pardini had the honor of participating in Ann Baltz’s prestigious OperaWorks Emerging Artist Program this past June. In the fall, Mr. Pardini will be performing the role of Nauarro in the Los Angeles premier of Conte’s highly-anticipated work – America Tropical – as well as Dottore Spinelloccio in the USC Opera production of Gianni Schicchi. Mr. Pardini is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance at the Uniuersity of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. He dedicates his every operatic pursuit, with love and admiration, to the memory of his voice teacher and mentor, Maestro Erik Buck Townsend.Powered by Hackadelic Sliding Notes 1.6.4Quinn Middleman, mezzo soprano, is a sophomore at the University of Southern California studying with Cynthia Munzer. A winner of various vocal competitions, Quinn has received instruction from many notable singers, including Thomas Bagwell, Paul Sperry, and Daune Mahy. Her upcoming performances include soloing with Bravo! Vancouver (Washington) in Handel’s Messiah. Quinn is also an active oboist and is pursuing a double major in Vocal Arts and Oboe Performance at USC.Powered by Hackadelic Sliding Notes 1.6.4
“… an ingenious tale dealing with the tumultuous founding of Los Angeles, using a 1930s mural painted by David Alfaro Siquieros in the 1930s as its take-off point… with its emotionally gripping music, timely story and clever, often surprising, staging, it certainly merits a second run.
- Cheryl North, Oakland Tribune
“..ambitious opera premiere connects L. A.’s divided past to a hopeful future…an often compelling folk opera meditation on race, class, and other social divisions…engaging and intriguing…
- Robert Hurwitt, San Francisco Chronicle
“Conte (whose beautiful, ghostly desert opera Firebird Motel was commissioned and produced by Thick Description) has fashioned a score featuring serrated melody lines and lush choral harmonies to augment the work’s three centuries, succinctly blended in Mayer’s libretto. The music moves determinedly forward through alternately agitated, wistful, angelic, and angry passages…”
- Robert Avila, The San Francisco Bay Area Guardian
Conte’s score, with its hints of George Gershwin, Kurt Weill, and the chamber music of Dmitri Shostakovich, is as colorful as anything painted by Siqueiros. The composer’s use of glittering flute scales… (enthralls) the listener with its beauty…”
- Chloe Veltman, San Francisco Weekly
Scene One – The Torna Atras (The Throw-Aways)
Los Angeles, 1932. The Mexican muralist SIQUEIROS surveys a blank wall that will become the canvas for his latest artwork “America Tropical.” (Tell Me What A Wall Can Do…”) As he wonders how the as-yet uncreated images will reflect not only the past history but the future of Los Angeles and its citizens, –
The original POBLADORES (Founders) of the City arrive, circa 1781, at the last leg of a 1,000 mile journey, (We’ve Come A Thousand Miles…) and begin to build their settlement. The Spaniard LARA and the Indian MARIA SOLEDAD, ask for the blessing of the Virgin Mary, but Maria Soledad’s husband Black carpenter MORENO questions their faith. Lara and Moreno differ on the casta system, the taxonomy that categorizes a person based on the percentage of Spanish blood in his family (From Spanish and Indian a Mestiza is Born…). As the battles lines between them are drawn, –
Scene Two – The Double Cross
Siqueiros begins to create his image, using themes and images from 1781. As he works, –
HOLLIDAY appears, circa 1991, video handycam in hand, in South Los Angeles. (Catch The Moments Before They Go Wherever Moments Go…) Now all three time periods begin to meld. As Siqueiros propositions Maria Soledad, Lara and his henchmen arrest and beat Moreno in front of the Cross he built to honor the founding of the City. Holliday uses his handycam to witness the attack, which resembles the beating of Rodney King. Refusing the advances of Siqueiros, Maria Soledad approaches Moreno, who cannot understand why he was beaten. (Were You There When They Beat Me To The Ground?) As all their faith is tested, –
Scene Three – Twelve Minutes
Holliday, circa 1992, muses over the twelve minutes of evidence of the videotaped beating and its consequences on the entire city. As Los Angeles burns, the citizens of Los Angeles, past and future, come together to reaffirm their beliefs (We Believe A Good Life is Possible on Earth). But Moreno cannot put his faith in organized belief or progress. Siquerios, working feverishly, now reveals the full “America Tropical” mural with an INDIA crucified upon a Double Cross, for everyone to see. Moreno sees a symbol of his own pain. But Maria Soledad sees the blessing, even in the symbolism. As she prays to it, the India comes to life and blesses the citizens of Los Angeles (Blessings on this City/Blessings on this Life).
Scene Four – The Sweet Inside
Given new life, Maria Soledad tells Siqueiros that his mural has missed the heart of the people. Taking the aspect of the Virgin Mary, she helps the India off the Cross. The people of Los Angeles come together with a new understanding of their limitations and possibilities. As Siqueiros moves on, and his mural is destroyed, the People reaffirm their lives and loves. as citizens, here and now (Reprise: From Spanish and Indian a Mestiza is Born). Maria Soledad has the last word: (We Live Here and Now).
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