Season 5, Episode 6 - Ana Maria Inspires: EN MIS PALABRAS

Central City Opera Podcast

En Mis Palabras artists share their thoughts and experiences on racially accurate casting, representation in the performing arts and the importance of telling diverse stories on the operatic stage in today’s episode. Guests include Mica Dominguez-Robinson, who originated the leading role of Ana Maria, and brand-new cast members Daniela Guzmán-Égüez (Ana Maria) and Armando Contreras (Esteban). Hosted by CCO Marketing Content Manager and Opera Central Producer Margaret Siegrist.

Central City Opera commissioned our bilingual, one-act opera En Mis Palabras/In My Own Words more than 15 years ago, with the goal of acknowledging the 1/5 Latino population here in Colorado. The opera tackles themes of immigration, family and coming of age and is performed regularly as a part of year-round education and community engagement programming. Over 19,000 people have seen it since its 2006 premiere. Central City Opera committed to casting the lead role of Ana Maria only with LatinX artists since the opera was commissioned, and that practice has been honored to this day.

This third and final conversation focused on En Mis Palabras and diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts amplifies the voices of the artists of color who perform in the program!

Settle in for coffee and conversation with us. Text PALABRAS to 20123, and find great deals on over 400 coffees roasted to order and shipped to you by the bag from the nation’s best roasters. A portion of all purchases goes to Central City Opera thanks to our partners at Eat4Art.

A note on En Mis Palabras personnel and casting: “Touring artists,” a term you heard during the interview, refers to the singers, instrumentalists and production staff who perform as part of our year-round education programs. Most shows, including En Mis Palabras, are cast with multiple artists in each role so that Central City Opera is able to best serve our communities from a scheduling perspective. The artists you’ll meet in these episodes are just a few of the many current and past cast members of the show!

What are Mica, Dani and Armando up to in the near future?

• Both Armando and Dani perform in Boulder Opera Company’s November 2020 production of La bohème, set in the era of COVID-19. Learn more and buy tickets at boulderoperacompany.com
• Armando teaches voice lessons and is currently accepting new students. Apply at Resonance.
• Mica looks forward to performing the following roles in postponed productions: Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, the “Day by Day” singer in Godspell, ensemble in Sweeney Todd and Bright Star and returning as a featured singer in the Cirque Dreams National Tour.

Mica talks about a couple momentous moments for inclusive casting in musical theater:

• Brittney Johnson Makes History as Broadway's First Glinda of Color in Wicked
• Broadway's Phantom of the Opera Announces First Asian-American Christine

Many performers of color and organizations championing diversity, equity and inclusion were mentioned in the episode. Check out the links below for more information:

• Jessye Norman, opera singer
• Leontyne Price, opera singer
• Nadine Sierra, opera singer
• Pretty Yende, opera singer
• Frontiers: Fort Worth Opera Libretto Workshop
• Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Our host mentioned a story about the famously voluptuous opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini (1871–1940) playing a character who was meant to be wasting away with consumption (tuberculosis) as a testament to the lack of importance placed on type-casting during different eras of opera history.

Armando talked about preference against bilingual communication in United States’ schools during the ‘70s and ‘80s that influenced the experiences of his family members. Read more about the “English-only Movement” in education.

Dani talks about “zarzuela,” a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular songs, as well as dance.”

Shout out to the educators and educational institutions referenced in this episode:

• Denver School of the Arts
• University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music
• Vinson Cole, Armando’s voice teacher

This episode features musical excerpts from our 2008 archival recording of En Mis Palabras. Composer, Roger Ames. Librettist, Jeffrey Gilden. Ana Maria, Jennifer DeDominici. Rodolfo, Adam Sattley. Esteban, Steven Taylor. Abuela, Leslie Remmert Soich. Piano, Deborah Schmit-Lobis. Guitar, Rick Chinisci.