Houston Grand Opera's revival of the 'mariachi opera' uses rural Mexico as a backdrop for a story of family and survival.
Renata and Laurentino croon a lullaby to their young son Rafa, one of many gorgeously rendered moments by composer Javier Martinez, but Laurentino’s prolonged absence is obviously taking its toll on Renata. She’s not one to show weakness to the world, but Duarte’s sturdy mezzo-soprano betrays the self-doubt and loneliness lurking underneath Renata’s stoicism.
But that sense of childhood wonder has long since been replaced by the weight of adulthood worries; Duarte’s vocals adeptly expand to match the intensity of whatever emotion is called for, be that abiding love or deep pain. Similarly, de Michelis’ resonant bass-baritone cycles between great tenderness and forceful passion. She’s worried she doesn’t know him anymore; he knows her better than she thinks, calling her his “window on the world” and a “mirror that reflects it back to me.
If Laurentino and Renata’s relationship is what drives “Milagro” forward, the opera is anchored by San Antonio’s Trio Chapultepec, who are onstage for nearly all of its 75 minutes. The trio’s graceful accompaniment acts as a counterpart to Martinez’s stirring score, conducted with careful attention by Benjamin Manis. Violins add romance and sentimentality; trumpets stir the pot at dramatic moments; glimmers of harp evoke the twinkling stars.
Vital support comes from Rafael Moras as Father Matias, whose thrilling tenor gives the opera some of its most dramatic moments, including a captivatingly introspective duet with Vazquez; and enchanting soprano Vanessa Becerra as a mystery woman who pops up whenever the other characters need a little guidance.
The major divide in “Milagro,” further enhanced by Gregory Gale’s lavish costume design and Ken Billington’s haunting lighting, is between the world of memory and the world we live in. The characters often feel like they’re singing directly to the audience, which in a way they are. Don’t wait until precious moments are in the distant past to appreciate them, they urge. When life presents you with a piñata, take a swing.Your weekly guide to Houston arts & entertainment.
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