CalArts Alumnus’ New Song Cycle Opera Premieres in Mexico

Tonight (Aug. 19), Mexican-American composer and CalArts alumnus Hector Armienta’s (Music BFA 85) newest song cycle opera Cuentos de Peregrinacíon (Tales of Pilgrimage) premieres at the Teatro Degollado in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The opera, which tells the stories of Mexican immigrants who have made the perilous journey from their homeland to the United States, is composed of five arias Armienta wrote based on personal interviews.

“This work is intended for the community and those that want to celebrate the contributions of all immigrants—including those within our own families,” says Armienta.

The work is one of the first initiatives of Arte sin Fronteras/Art without Borders, a new cross-cultural exchange program.

Above is a four-minute excerpt of Cuentos de Peregrinacíon (Tales of Pilgrimage).