Music
‘Spain, My Love’ Brings Together Opera and Ballet in Coral Gables
Mezzo-soprano Greisel Domínguez with members of Voices of Miami during The Opera Atelier’s 2023 performance of “Spain, My Love.” The Opera Atelier and Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida are presenting “Spain, My Love: Opera Meets Ballet” at the Miracle Theater in Coral Gables Saturday, Sept. 27 and Sunday, Sept. 28. (Photo courtesy of The Opera Atelier)
From the Baroque courts of Europe to the great theaters of the 19th century, opera and ballet have shared the stage as two languages that heighten both emotion and storytelling. That dialogue between voice and movement comes together in South Florida as two local institutions join forces at Coral Gables’ Miracle Theatre to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
The Opera Atelier and Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida join forces to present “Spain, My Love: Opera Meets Ballet,” a double bill featuring the world premiere of Juana Inés alongside two ballets: “Tarde en la Siesta” and “Viva España.” Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 27 and 4 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 28. The program combines music, dance, and cultural reflection, designed to attract both opera lovers and ballet audiences.
This collaboration, part of the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, is both a remarkable offering for Miami audiences and a strategic necessity. With cultural budgets under scrutiny, pooling resources has become essential. Opera Atelier Music Director Daniel Daroca acknowledges this, saying, “Funding is always a challenge, but we make up for it with ingenuity and commitment because Miami audiences deserve productions on par with the great capitals of the world.”
Mezzo-soprano Greisel Domínguez portrays Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. (Photo by Xiomara Ponce, courtesy of Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida)
The Opera Atelier was founded in 2010 by Jacqueline Solózano, Xiomara Ponce, Jorge Arcila, and Daroca, opera professionals with diverse artistic and academic backgrounds, united by the mission to present chamber-scale productions and unconventional repertoire, emphasizing new works and figures from the Hispanic world.
“Our productions ask questions and seek to educate more than entertain,” says Daroca. “We emphasize creating new repertoire, the contributions of figures from the Hispanic and Latin American world, and especially great women artists who left a body of work despite the obstacles they faced.”
In that spirit comes “Juana Inés,” inspired by the life and work of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, the 17th-century Mexican nun, poet, and philosopher.
Mezzo-soprano Greisel Domínguez, who shares the title role of Sor Juana with soprano Silvia Ludueña, captures the essence of the project.
“One thing is to read about Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz—a religious woman in a world of men who faced discrimination yet had the bravery to write what she wanted, even when it defied convention—and another is to step into her skin. It made me reconnect with her, to understand her from an emotional place.”
For Daroca, the choice was natural.
“I have always deeply admired Sor Juana because I am passionate about letters, and she was an example of love for knowledge and science. Her life was marked by the conflicts of being a woman in an oppressive society, and yet she left a monumental body of work. She was largely self-taught, amassed 4,000 books in her library, and became our intellectual foremother in Latin America.”
Arts Ballet Theatre director Vladimir Issaev’s “Viva España.” (Photo by Patricia Laine Romero, courtesy of Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida)
Sor Juana’s lasting relevance is central to the opera’s message. “She remains vivid because of the brilliance of her intellect and the depth of her life,” says Daroca. “At a time when second- and third-generation immigrants use the language and culture less and less, and negative stereotypes about Hispanics persist, highlighting figures like Sor Juana becomes urgent. It is an act of cultural defense.”
The world premiere of “Juana Inés” unfolds in a single 45-minute act, conceived as a dreamlike, symbolic work. “It develops as a series of interconnected vignettes that take place in Sor Juana’s mind,” explains Daroca. “From the overture with ballet to the central scene of the debate with the Bishop of Puebla, and the final apotheosis in which she ascends to the heavens. Sor Juana is always onstage; everything moves in relation to her.”
For Domínguez, the challenge has also been an act of creation.
“There are no precedents. We are creating her from scratch—a moment from zero. Two of us are bringing the same role to life, and it has been beautiful because our ideas reconcile in that common thread.”
She underscores the vocal demands. “The music is gorgeous but technically very challenging. It has many leaps and changes because it is infused with what she is experiencing emotionally.”
In addition to Domínguez and Ludueña who share the role of Sor Juana, other Miami artists include basses Jorge Arcila and Yohan Rodríguez portraying the Bishop of Puebla; mezzo-soprano Patricia Arcadí and dancer Mayara Alfonso embody Saint Teresa of Ávila; tenor Karel Morell appears as the adult Diego and child actor Juan Pablo Cervantes as Diego as a boy, with Voices of Miami as the chorus of nuns. “It is an arduous intellectual and physical task in which we share many duties on and off the stage,” says Daroca.
Silvia Ludueña, soprano; Karel Morell, tenor; and Daniel Daroca, pianist, in rehearsal for The Opera Atelier and Arts Ballet Theatre for the return of “Spain, My Love: Opera Meets Ballet.” (Photo by Xiomara Ponce, courtesy of Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida)
Two ballets add contrast and vitality. “Tarde en la Siesta,” by Cuban choreographer Alberto Méndez, is a jewel of the repertoire for Vladimir Issaev.
“It’s a spectacular ballet, a Cuban classic that I love. I discovered it in Venezuela in 1987 and had the good fortune for Méndez to stage it personally with my company. I want audiences who don’t know Cuban music to discover this piece.”
The second work, “Viva España,” is Issaev’s own creation and revels in the color and energy of Spanish tradition. “It’s excellent to present a program like this in Miami, because the audience here is mostly Hispanic and very open to these languages. It’s the perfect setting for this kind of show.”
Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, now in its 28th year under Issaev’s direction, presents productions that blend Russian discipline with the richness of Latin American repertoire. “Since we began collaborating with the opera, it has always been well received,” says Issaev. “Two different audiences come together—the opera public and the ballet public—and both discover something new.”
Domínguez—co-founder of Voices of Miami, Inc., together with Marilin Cruz and Aimée Fiuza—knows firsthand the need for institutional and community alliances.
“These collaborations between companies enrich us, extend us, and help us reach more audiences. Art cannot be silenced or trampled. I think there is ignorance—or perhaps political strategy—behind funding cuts. Yes, a budget was approved, but it’s temporary. Next year we have to fight again.”
Beyond the production itself, both directors agree on the broader message: Hispanic culture holds a central place in Miami and should be celebrated. “We want to tell the world that Hispanic culture is on a par with any other,” affirms Daroca. “The Spanish language is immensely rich, and figures like Sor Juana prove it.”
WHAT: “Spain, My Love: Opera Meets Ballet”
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28
WHERE: Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables
COST: $20, $35, $45 and $55.
INFORMATION: 305-444-9293 and theoperaatelier.org
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