Composer Nathan Felix is hitting the classical music scene in San Antonio with a bang, as he introduces his new opera "El Conquistador" at The Little Carver Civic Center. Slated to explore the gritty conquest of Tenochtitlán, the opera delves into the infamous tale of Hernán Cortés and his interpreter, La Malinche—an enslaved Indigenous girl pivotal to his schemes. The show debuts on March 2, weaving a 75-minute narrative through music and voices that aim to shatter the barrier between the stage and the audience.
Tapping into the veins of South Texas and Mexico’s history, Felix crafts a story of complex identities and the painful legacies that figures like Cortés have imprinted on the region. “I want this opera to spark conversation about our common history in what I see as shifting and surviving,” Felix told OperaWire. While the storyline wrestles with history, Felix’s approach is anything but conventional as he borrows from Brechtian methods to involve the audience directly into the performance.
Indeed, Felix's return to opera is not a solo act. He's roped in musical talents who share his vision, including conductor Nieves Villaseñor, who teamed up with Felix back in 2022. The cast features Celeste Morales in the role of La Malinche, announced by The Little Carver, and recommended by her is Thomas Soto taking on Cortés, who then suggested Kimberly Sandoval for the role of Catalina. “As musicians, conductors, performers, and artists, we live our real-world experiences through sound and collaboration with others,” Villaseñor said in a statement obtained by the San Antonio Report.
For those eager to experience Felix's aural tapestry of conquest and culture up close, tickets are going for $25, made available on the Carver website. The cast rounds off with Jeremiah Drake as Moctezuma, with the ensemble featuring the likes of violinist José Irizarry, violist Ptotia Furlow, cellist Stephen Young, and choral singers such as Steph Huskin and Laura Grindle.
