La Reina
La Reina is an electro-acoustic opera with text in Spanish and English. Drawing its narrative from the drug trade in Mexico and the United States, the opera is inspired by some of the most vivid real life players in this increasingly violent war from the past and present. Composer Jorge Sosa’s music blends classically trained voices with a chamber orchestra of acoustic and electronic forces, and powerfully conveys a gripping libretto by Laura Sosa Pedroza and Jorge Sosa.
The orchestral concert, featuring mezzo soprano Audrey Babcock as La Reina, is co-presented as part of American Lyric Theater’s InsighALT series, which features operas at various stages of development in the Composer Librettist Development Program. The concert is the culminating event of an extensive orchestral workshop, and will conclude with a detailed process-based discussion with the composer and librettist, moderated by Lawrence Edelson.
La Reina has received developmental support through the Composer Librettist Development Program at American Lyric Theater, lead funding for which has been provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and OPERA America/The Opera Fund.
Commissioned by American Lyric Theater, Lawrence Edelson, Producing Artistic Director
Photo by Raúl Cano.
Cast
Regina – Audrey Babcock
La Santa Muerte — Laura Claycomb
El Gringo – Christopher Burchett
Young Regina – Rosa Betancourt
El Pozolero – Javier Abreu
El Señor del Norte – Zachary James
Jefe de Sicarios / DEA Agent / Priest — Jonathan Blalock
Don Neto / Warden — Jeremy Milner
El Gobernador — Omar Najmi