Tres Minutos - Inspired by a real program that reunites families separated by immigration policies at the U.S. - Mexico Border, but only for three minutes, Tres minutos imagines the story of Diego and Nila, a brother and sister who share DNA but not citizenship. When Diego is deported, leaving Nila behind, questions of identity, duty, and belonging threaten to consume them.

La Muerte - Now in her seventies, Paula can sense the end is near. The visions of her deceased daughter Elisa and of the others (Karankawa Native Americans of long ago) are more frequent. Her family thinks it is dementia, but Paula is simply in conversation with Death.  She has seen La Llorona (Weeping Woman), been touched by the spirit of the great River, and knows La Muerte  well. The journey to the other world and to the daughter that La Llorona stole from her has at last begun. 

Conductor: Temirzhan Yerzhanov

Featured Singers:
Sergio Gonzalez - Tenor
Jessica Rodriguez Gonzalez - Mezzo Soprano
Deborah Rosengaus Martinez - Mezzo Soprano
Alejandra Sandoval - Soprano
Igor Vieira - Baritone
( in alphabetical order)

May 12th @ 7:30pm & May 13th @ 2pm

School of Arts and Culture @ Mexican Heritage Plaza Pavilion
1700 Alum Rock Ave.
San Jose, CA 95116

Opera Cultura will be presenting a concert performance of Nicolas Benavides opera Tres Minutos and a workshop presentation of excerpts from Héctor's Armienta new opera, La Muerte. The librettist for Tres Minutos is by Marella Martin Koch. Armienta is the librettist and composer for La Muerte.  Total running time for both works is under 2 hours.  This is a double bill ( both works will be presented on May 12th and May 13th)