Frida (opera)


Frida is a 1991 opera based on the life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo with music by Robert Xavier Rodriguez, book by Hilary Blecher, lyrics and monologues by Migdalia Cruz, conceived by Hilary Blecher.

Performances

Frida was commissioned by the American Music Theater Festival and premiered in Philadelphia in 1991, starring Helen Schneider as Frida Kahlo. It was revised in 1993, and has subsequently been produced at American Repertory Theater, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, City Summer Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, the Vienna Schauspielhaus, in Recklinghausen and Nordhausen, and by the Society for New Music.
In 2007, to celebrate the 110th anniversary of Kahlo's birth, the opera was produced at the 10th Festival Cultural de Mayo in Guadalajara in a Spanish translation by Josefina Garcia. Original Cast: Helen Schneider ; Marc Krause ; Karen Hale ; Alba Quezada ; David Toney.
In 2015, Michigan Opera Theater produced a revival of the work directed by José Maria Condemi. Starring Catalina Cuervo as Frida Kahlo and Ricardo Herrera in the role of Diego Rivera.
Colombian American Soprano Catalina Cuervo has sung the role of Frida for Cincinnati Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Atlanta Opera, Anchorage Opera and Portland Opera.

Recordings