Friday, February 24th │ 7:30pm Purchase Tickets
Sunday, February 26th │ 2:00pm Purchase Tickets
Tango‘s sensual rhythms and operatic passions are brought together in Maria de Buenos Aires. Astor Piazzolla‘s revolutionary nuevo tango score and Horacio Ferrer‘s mesmerizing poetry create a magical atmosphere, with costumes by Gerardo Encinas and stage direction by Dennis Whitehead Darling.
It will be performed in Spanish with English and Spanish supertitles.
#MariaOC
What’s Interesting About This Opera…
- This production of Maria de Buenos Aires will be the first Spanish opera performed in Columbus, Ohio
- Astor Piazzolla, the composer, is known as the “King of Tango”. He is also the founder of “nuevo tango” with incorporates elements of jazz and classical music into traditional Argentinian Tango music.
- This production features a bandoneon, which is an accordion-like instrument exclusive to Argentinian tango music.
- Gerardo Encinas, clothing designer of OC’s Maria de Buenos Aires, is a well-known Columbus fashion designer whose designs have been featured on the runway of Columbus Fashion Week.
SYNOPSIS
Synopsis
Maria’s life is the story of the tango. Born in the slums of the port of Buenos Aires, she embodies everything that is the tango: totally consumed by passion, yet never destroyed. Maria fights for survival and freedom; never surrendering.
Scene 1: The Duende conjures up the image of Maria through a crack in the road.
Scene 2: Maria awakens to the theme of tango which is her soul.
Scene 3: The Duende and a Sleepy Poet tell the story of Maria.
Scene 4: Maria introduces herself.
Scene 5: The Sleepy Poet falls in love with Maria, but she rejects him.
Scene 6: Maria arrives in the center of Buenos Aires.
Scene 7: Maria is seduced by the bandoneon. She senses her imminent death.
Scene 8: The Duende accuses the bandoneon of corrupting Maria. They duel.
Scene 9: Maria’s body is condemned to death, but her Shadow is allowed to return to the streets.
Scene 10: Funeral rites are performed for the first death of Maria.
Scene 11: Maria’s body is buried, but her Shadow wanders lost in the city’s underworld.
Scene 12: Lacking all sense of identity, the Shadow writes a letter to the trees and the chimneys of Buenos Aires.
Scene 13: The Duende sends a message to the Shadow: Maria will be reborn.
Scene 14: A frantic search ends with the miracle of conception.
Scene 15: Maria’s Shadow announces that it will give birth.
Scene 16: A carefree, yet peculiar Sunday in Buenos Aires. The Duende describes the birth of all births. Who is the child? Is it Maria resurrected? Has it all ended? Or is it just beginning? No one can answer the question.
In partnership with 
SYNOPSIS
Synopsis
The tale opens on Duende (the Narrator) who relates the story of Maria, a prostitute born in the slums “one day when God was drunk … with a curse in her voice.” Maria is seduced by the rhythms of the tango and soon becomes “the most sorcerous singer and lover” in Buenos Aires.
However, her “fatal passion” arouses the wrath of robbers and brothel madams who shoot her to death, and bury her in an unmarked grave. In death, Maria is pulled into a dreamlike Hell where she encounters the choral circus of psychoanalysts who dissect her to the core.
She makes a resurrection of sorts when the Duende summons her to return as a Shadow, give birth to a new Maria, and haunt the sordid streets of Buenos Aires which she once walked.
COVID-19 SAFETY GUIDELINES
Your safety is our top priority.
Our safety policy was designed in consultation with leading experts in the fields of epidemiology, public health, workplace/industrial hygiene, and infectious diseases.
Updated April 4, 2022
For the performances of 40 Days of Opera throughout the city of Columbus:
- Opera Columbus will no longer require that audience members show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test.
- Masks are encouraged for all patrons.
The Opera Columbus will continue to monitor government policy changes, Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, government mandates, and public health notices and make changes as necessary or appropriate to ensure the safety of staff, artists, and the public.
Warning
Limitation on Liability/Assumption of Risk
Any person entering the premises waives all civil liability against this premises owner and operator for any injuries caused by the inherent risk associated with contracting COVID-19 at public gatherings, except for gross negligence, willful and wanton misconduct, reckless infliction of harm, or intentional infliction of harm, by the individual or entity or the premises.
Additionally, you, on behalf of yourself and any accompanying minor, voluntarily assume all risks and danger incidental to the event for which the ticket is issued, whether occurring before, during or after the event, and you waive any claims for personal injury, death, illness, damage, loss, claim, liability, or expense, of any kind against Opera Columbus., and its agents, sponsors, officers, directors, shareholders, owners and employees.
To read more about CAPA’s safety protocol, click here.
*Guidelines are subject to change
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What Should I Wear?
There is no dress code for the opera! Some patrons choose to dress for a special occasion and others prefer to keep it casual.
Where Should I Park?
Parking is available at the Columbus Commons Parking Garage located off of Rich or Main Street.
When Should I Arrive?
Plan on arriving about 30-40 minutes early. This gives you plenty of time to park, get your tickets from will call if you need to and find your seats without feeling rushed. Latecomers are seated (or stand) in the rear of the theatre until ushers take them to their seats at an appropriate point in the production.
CAST
Monica Danilov-Marquez *
Monica Danilov-Marquez, received her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the Manhattan School of Music and master’s degree from the Conservatory of Music of Brooklyn College (CUNY) under the tutelage of Patricia McCaffrey. She was chosen to participate in the master class entitled ¨Music for the Masses¨ at the Metropolitan Opera Guild, with renowned conductor Kent Tritle. She has worked with a host of renowned conductors such as Jun Nakabayashi, Alan Gilbert, Peter Jaffe, Gerassim Voronkov, Dante Ranieri, Olivier Grangean and Richard Barrett and with directors Mitch Sebastian and Dona Vaughn, among others. She sang in world premieres of Marjorie Meryman’s Beauty, Grief and Grandeur and the U.S. premiere of Nuñes Garcia´s Requiem. She has sung at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., the 92nd Street Y and Avery Fischer Hall in New York, the Cairo Opera House, and in Algeria, Ghana, Ecuador, and Colombia.
She also has experience in musical theater as Maria in The Sound of Music, produced by MISI Producciones (performed forty-two times), and the role of Aldonza/Dulcinea in Man of La Mancha performed at the Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santodomingo in Bogota, Colombia. She has sung important roles in zarzuela like La Beltrana in Doña Francisquita by Vives and Clarita in La del Manojo de Rosas by Sorozabal. Her opera credits include Paula in Florencia en el Amazonas by Daniel Catan, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Mercedes in Carmen, Flora Bervoix in La Traviata, Alisa in Lucia di Lamermoor, Maddalena in Rigoletto, La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, Maria in Maria de Buenos Aires, Valencienne in The Merry Widow, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and Dido in Dido and Aeneas, among others.
Paul La Rosa
American baritone Paul La Rosa continues to gain recognition for his dynamic instrument and charismatic stage presence. He has been recently described as having “a wonderful touch for physical comedy, a strong and beautiful voice, and the dancing skills that one typically encounters in Broadway.” This season sees him making his role and company debut as Lionel in The Maid of Orleans with Opera Company of Middlebury and singing the Wolf /Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods with Annapolis Opera. Other recent credits include Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas with Angel’s Share, Pablo Picasso in the world premiere of The Weeping Woman with Opera Collective/Mass MoCA, Cascada in The Merry Widow and Jud Fry in Oklahoma! with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, First Mate in Billy Budd with Los Angeles Opera, Falke in Die Fledermaus with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and his role debut of Germont in La Traviata with Gulfshore Opera where he also sang Malatesta in Don Pasquale. Mr. La Rosa also recently created the role of Enrique in the world premiere production of Martinez’s El pasado nunco se termino with both San Diego Opera and Houston Grand Opera.
José Gabriel Garcia *
José Gabriel Garcia is making his Opera Columbus debut as El Duende in Maria de Buenos Aires. A multidisciplinary artist, José works with Start Small Think Big, a national nonprofit providing support to underserved and marginalized small business owners in addition to his performing career. Recent performing credits include Mal Beineke in The Addams Family Musical and being the president of his college a cappella group: Achoired Taste.
CREATIVE
Astor Piazzolla *
Horacio Ferrer *
Dennis Whitehead Darling is an award-winning Stage Director working in both opera and theatre in the Unites States and Europe. In 2018, he was selected by Opera Memphis as their Inaugural McCleave Fellow in Directing, a fellowship dedicated to fostering the careers of Stage Directors and Music Directors of color. His recent directing credits include: World Premieres of Paul Moravec/Mark Campbell’s Grammy nominated oratorio Sanctuary Road (North Carolina Opera) and “Why I Live at the PO (UrbanArias), Die Zauberflöte (Pensacola Opera), World Premiere of The Secret River (Opera Orlando), La Bohème (Opera Columbus), World Premiere of Marian’s Song (Houston Grand Opera), Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Carnegie Mellon University), The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (Red Mountain Theatre), Independence Eve (Opera Birmingham), Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (Hattiloo Theatre/Spazio Teatro No’hma – Milan), Jelly’s Last Jam (Hattiloo Theatre), The Parchman Hour (Hattiloo Theatre), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Spazio Teatro No’hma – Milan), Intimate Apparel (University of Memphis), Movin’ Up in the World (Opera Memphis), Sunset Baby (Hattiloo Theatre), James and the Giant Peach (Circuit Playhouse), Blue Viola (Opera Memphis), Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting (Hattiloo Theatre), Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet (Hattiloo Theatre). Associate Directing credits include: AITAF on Broadway (Studio 54), The Last of the Love Letters (Atlantic Theatre), Light’s Out: Nat “King” Cole (Geffen Playhouse), Skeleton Crew (Geffen Playhouse). Upcoming productions include: Jelly’s Last Jam (Long Wharf Theatre), The Falling and the Rising (Arizona Opera), Lost in the Stars (Annapolis Opera), (Sanctuary Road (Penn Square Music Festival), and The Cunning Little Vixen (Manhattan School of Music). Throughout his career, Dennis has expressed one major goal, “to tell emotionally engaging and provocative stories that challenge the viewer to see the world from a different perspective.” For more information, please visit his website at www.denniswhiteheaddarling.com
Dennis Whitehead Darling
Rolando Salazar has served as the Associate Conductor/Chorus Master for The Atlanta Opera, Assistant Conductor and pianist at the Bellingham Festival of Music, and was recently seen in performances with The Atlanta Opera (Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Pagliacci), Red River Lyric Opera (Le Nozze di Figaro), Permian Basin Opera (Tosca), Rome Symphony Orchestra, The Atlanta Ballet (The Nutcracker), Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, the Ozark Family Opera (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Georgia State University Orchestra, and with Atlanta Concert Opera (Messiah). He has also recently collaborated with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Opera Lousiane (Les contes d’Hoffmann), and with Madison Opera. Mr. Salazar keeps an active coaching and collaborative piano schedule in Atlanta, preparing numerous singers for engagements with major orchestras and opera houses worldwide.
Rolando Salazar *
Fashion designer, Gerardo Encinas, lives for taking risks. From high-drama runway collections—oversized florals, bold colors and exaggerated silhouettes—to statement-making ready-to-wear pieces, this Columbus-based designer is known for taking chances with gutsy, gorgeous designs. As a child in Sonora, Mexico, Gerardo spent hours sketching designs in his secret notebook. After finishing high school, he attended college to study international business. One visit to the United States in 2001 changed the direction of his life. In 2003, he opened an event planning company, primarily working with the Latino community for 16 years. In 2012, he taught himself to sew by watching YouTube videos. He organized his first fashion show in 2013 as a launching celebration for his modeling and makeup studio. In 2014, Gerardo became co-director of the Miss Ohio Latina pageant, which allowed him to become further integrated in the world of design. By 2017, he was showing his first official collection at Columbus Fashion Week. By 2019, international celebrity drag queen Nina West, who appeared on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” wore Encinas’ gown on the cover of New York magazine. In 2021, Gerardo made his gutsiest move to date: opening his own boutique. Located at 251 S. Third Street, Encinas’ eponymous boutique, opened in December specializing in custom pieces, personal styling, and custom tailoring. One of his most recent achievements has been designing for Tiffany Moon of “The Real Housewives of Dallas.” Immediate plans include a focus on online retail in both clothing and accessories.
Gerardo Encinas *
Marcella Barbeau (she/her) is a lighting designer based in New York City. Her recent credits include: The Threepenny Carmen, The Threepenny Opera (The Atlanta Opera), Dolores Claiborne, Pelléas et Mélisande (Boston University Opera Institute), Native Gardens, Barefoot in the Park, The Lifespan of a Fact, True West (Gloucester Stage), and Trayf (New Repertory Theatre). She has assisted designers at the English National Opera, Nationaltheatre Mannheim, National Theatre Munich, Boston Lyric Opera, American Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Opera, and the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. In 2015, she was the lighting design fellow for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. As a Chinese American designer, Marcella actively seeks to collaborate and amplify the voices of fellow BIPOC artists of all intersectionalities. She received her Master of Fine Arts from Boston University and frequently visits her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.
Marcella Barbeau *
*Opera Columbus debut
And it doesn’t stop there…
TANGO ONSTAGE
Break out your dancing shoes, and join Opera Columbus on the Southern Theatre stage!
Included with your ticket. More information and RSVP coming soon.
SALON: COCKTAIL HOUR WITH GERARDO ENCINAS
Join Gerardo Encina, costume designer of Maria de Buenos Aires, live from his studio in Columbus to see all the behind-the-scenes of costume designing.
JOIN THE OC BOOK CLUB
Join the Opera Columbus book club as we read Gods of Tango by Carolina de Robertis!
We will be meeting on Monday February 13th at 10am at the Main Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library for book club conversations moderated by Opera Columbus General Director + CEO, Julia Noulin-Mérat. The book club will also feature a special surprise from Opera Columbus.
Support Provided by
Fatma Said sings Yo Soy Maria (Piazzolla: Maria de Buenos Aires)
