Arts & Events

Berkeley-born composer Gabriela Lena Frank’s first opera, El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego, became both the first Spanish-language opera ever performed at SF Opera and the first opera by a woman composer ever done there. That’s heady stuff indeed! You’d think that in writing a review of this opera, critics would take note of these facts. However, Chronicle critic Joshua Kosman never once even mentions these remarkable facts in his June 21 review.

With a libretto by Cuban-born writer Nilo Cruz, El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego (The Last Dream of Frida and Diego) sets forth a fantasy around the tempestuous love affair of Mexican painters Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Interestingly, the opera takes place on November 2, 1957, on The Day of the Dead (El Dia de los Muertos), three years after Frida Kahlo has died. As this opera opens, Diego Rivera, now aged and seriously ill himself, is seen at a cemetery where Mexican villagers gather to honor their departed loved ones. Diego longingly intones his hope that Frida will return to him on this day when the Mexican dead are popularly thought to return to visit their loved ones. El Último Sueño is conducted by Mexican Roberto Kalb, who is debuting here. 

In the role of Diego Rivera was Mexican baritone Alfredo Daza, who portrayed the pot-bellied painter, now on his last legs, as limping with the aid of a cane. When Diego impatiently buys flowers from an old woman, he leaves the stage, and the old woman reveals herself as La Caterina, Keeper of the Dead. Now the scene shifts to the Underworld, known in Aztec myth as Mictlán, where La Caterina, powerfully sung by Chilean soprano Yaritza Véliz, summons Frida Kahlo to arise and return to visit Diego. La Caterina is imposingly costumed in a body-suit inscribed with a skeleton’s bones, as if she too is one of the dead. Yet La Caterina gets to select those among the dead who will obtain a day pass to return to visit the living. She tells Frida that Diego is calling for her, but Frida doesn’t believe her and refuses to return to Diego. In the role of Frida was Argentine mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack, who has previously been heard here as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Throughout El Último Sueño, Daniela Mack’s Frida wears a dazzling array of dresses by Costume Designer Eloize Kazan, and in Act II there is even a triptych of alternate Fridas who appear wearing some of Frida Kahlo’s most distinctive apparels of self-portraiture. 

Meanwhile, still in Act I’s Underworld, Frida encounters a character named Leonardo, who poses as a drag Greta Garbo, sung by countertenor Jake Ingbar. Frida applauds Leonardo’s imitation of Greta Garbo and encourages him in his desire to return to the living to honor a fan of the real Greta Garbo. As Leonardo is introduced here, there ensues one of this opera’s most lyrical bits of orchestral writing, as composer Gabriela Lena Frank’s score features a lovely violin solo, beautifully played here by Concertmaster Kay Stern. In extended dialogue with Frida, Leonardo encourages her to return to the living at least to paint a new Frida without the pain and anguish she experienced throughout her life. Leonardo dresses Frida in one of her trademark outfits, and Frida begins to waver in her refusal to return. Eventually, as Act I comes to an end, Frida agrees to return for the 24-hour Day of the Dead. 

Musically, Act I is notable mainly for the imperious vocals of La Caterina, powerfully performed here by Yaritza Véliz. One might also note the ominous orchestral chord that opens this opera. The vocal writing for Frida in Act I mostly emphasises her bitter memories of physical and emotional pain in a lifetime marred by childhood polio and a terrible trolley accident in her late teens. As for Diego, his music in Act I offers little but his intense loneliness in an old age bereft of the presence of his painter-wife and soulmate Frida, whom he longingly implores to return to him. 

Visually, El Último Sueño offres a pageantry of shifting colors and shapes, illuminated by lighting designer Victor Zapatero. Designer Jorge Ballina’s sets strike a subtle balance between huge crowd scenes at the cemetery or in the Underworld and, on the other hand, relatively bare stage expanses that focus our attention on specific characters. Stage Director Lorena Maza deftly employs movement to avoid any hint of a static opera. 

As Act II opens, Diego is seen alone in his studio, trying unsuccessfully to paint. Bereft of inspiration, he bemoans the absence of Frida, who suddenly appears before him having returned for The Day of the Dead. Diego is overjoyed to see Frida and seeks to embrace her. But Frida cautions him that the rules forbid the dead from touching or being touched by the living. In a brilliant retort, Diego asks Frida since when did she ever play by the rules? Nonetheless, Frida keeps her distance. 

Now Frida and Diego go for a walk in Mexico City’s Alameda Central Park. Frida is delighted by her absence of pain. But when a beggar-woman asks for alms, Diego reflects on his lifelong Marxist hopes for a more equitable world. Together, Diego and Frida ponder the sad state of their ancient city, where poverty still reigns. Frida encounters Leonardo and learns he has fulfilled the dream of his Greta Garbo-adoring fan, thereby accomplishing the acting performance of his life, for which Frida applauds him. Then Diego leads Frida to her beloved home, Casa Azul, where inspired by her familiar surroundings, Frida tries to paint. But lacking a physical substance in the world of the living, Frida finds no image of herself to paint. Diego again seeks to embrace Frida, even asking her forgiveness of all the pain his infidelities caused her. La Caterina now reappears and warns Frida against touching the living and she cautions Frida that her 24-hour time limit is fast approaching. 

Realising that time is indeed running out, Frida gives in and embraces Diego. The lovers cling to each other. In their loving embrace, they have entered a dream world. But Frida reminds Diego that they cannot live forever in a dream world. So Diego vows to ask Miclantecutli, God of the Aztec Underworld, to call him back to the world of the dead with Frida. Diego says his time of death has come. La Caterina reminds him that humans don’t decide the time of their death, only Mictantecutli does so. But Frida implores La Caterina for help, and the Keeper of the Dead calls forth Mictantecutli, who welcomes Diego among the dead. As the opera ends, Frida and Diego whisper that they will now be together for eternity. 

Musically, Act II offers far more opportunity for Diego to express his character. both in solos before Frida reappears to him, and, especially, in dialogue with Frida once they are reunited. In the role of Diego, baritone Alfredo Daza was vocally excellent and dramatically compelling. Likewise, Daniela mack as Frida has more opportunity in Act II to develop her multi-faceted character. All told, the music of Act II is a notch or so above that of Act I; and conductor Roberto Kalb deftly brought out the rich variety of colors in this music, including a touch of Mariachi trumpets in Act II. 

Finally, in small roles were baritone John Fulton, tenor Moiséa Salazar, bass Ricardo Lugo, soprano Mikayla Sager, mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz, mezzo-soprano Gabrielle Beteag, and mezzo-soprano Whitney Steele. One more performance of El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego is scheduled for Friday, June 30, at 7:30.