frida
june 23, 27, 29, july 1, 6 & 8 | 7:30 p.m.
june 25 | 3:00 p.m.
Aronoff center | Jarson-Kaplan theater
Music by Robert Xavier Rodríguez
Book by Hilary Blecher
Lyrics and monologues by Migdalia Cruz
Sung in English and Spanish with projected English translations
Performance length: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission
Please note: Frida is rated R for sexuality, nudity, and drug reference.
The season's performances of this opera have concluded.
Her soul yearned for freedom.
As a student, Frida spurned the taunts of the other girls, turning instead to the politics of the revolutionaries. When a near-fatal bus accident kept her bedridden, she found her own path to freedom in her paintings. Through love, pain, tragedy, and ultimately death, Frida’s identity and art remain a fierce cry of independence.
Based on the life of iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, Robert Xavier Rodríguez’s 1991 opera is as “emphatic and bold” (Opera News) as the artist herself. Our production from Michigan Opera Theatre was praised by the Detroit Free Press for its “dramatic intensity and immediacy.” Singing the title role is Catalina Cuervo, whose performance won rave reviews: “Cuervo doesn’t just play the role, she embodies it. Never was there any doubt that she was Kahlo personified” (The Detroit News).
REVIEWS
The Oakwood Register
"It is the essence of wonderful art." Read the review.
Seen and Heard International
"The story of the fatally flawed love between two giants of 20th-century art was brought to life in the colorful Cincinnati Opera production" Read the review.
Classical Voice North America
"A compelling production of Frida" Read the review.
CityBeat
"An especially vivid and compelling work that has struck a resonant note" Read the review.
Opera News
"Courage, determination, and passion at every moment." Read the review.
Jay Harvey Upstage
"Frida memorializes handsomely a unique contribution to modern world art." Read the review.
Opera Lively
"The opera is bold, colorful, and full of life and passion" Read the review.
Cincinnati Enquirer
"It leaves an indelible imprint that lingers long afterward." Read the review.
Cast & Creative Team
Frida Kahlo Catalina Cuervo
Diego Rivera Ricardo Herrera
Cristina Kahlo Jennifer Cherest
Ensemble Erin Keesy, Reilly Nelson, Emma Sorenson, Pedro André Arroyo, Benjamin Lee, Thomas Dreeze, Samson McCrady
Calaveras Melissa Harvey, Paulina Villarreal, John Overholt
Conductor Andrés Cladera
Stage Director Jose Maria Condemi
Scenic & Costume Designer Moníka Essen
Lighting Designer Thomas C. Hase
Hair & Make-up Designer James Geier
Choreographer Marco Pelle
Production from Michigan Opera Theatre
LEARN MORE
Opera Insights
Enhance your Frida knowledge with a pre-curtain lecture in the Aronoff Center lobby one hour before each performance. Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director, provides overviews and insights into Frida's life and art, and the opera that explores her world. Free to all Frida ticket holders. No reservations required.
In The News
7.7.2017 CityBeat: Stage Door: A Cat, an Artist and Some Serious Heat
6.30.2017 CityBeat: Stage Door: Pre-Fourth of July Offerings
6.22.2017 Cincinnati Art Museum: Frida Kahlo with Catalina Cuervo and Cincinnati Opera
6.22.2017 Cincinnati Enquirer: 'Frida' opens operatic window into life of artist Kahlo
6.21.2017 Broadway World: BWW Previews: Frida at Cincinnati Opera Offers an Insightful View of the Artist
6.19.2017 WCPO Cincinnati: Cincinnati Opera's visually rich 'Frida' -- and related exhibits -- is a feast for the eyes and ears
6.19.2017 Mujer Latina Today: Al igual que Frida, Soprano Catalina Cuervo es Fortaleza, Amor y Pasion
6.7.2017 Cincinnati Enquirer: What two opera leading ladies did for love
6.7.2017 CityBeat: Classics, Collaborations and Kahlo
6.5.2017 Mujer Latina Today: Frida de Cincinnati Opera 2017
6.1.2017 Movers & Makers: Frida Bigger than life - perfect for opera
10.6.2016 Cincinnati Enquirer: Opera's 2017 festival mixes old favorites, new wave