''Frida'' is a 1991 opera based on the life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo with music by Robert Xavier Rodriguez, book by Hilary Blecher, lyrics and monologues by Migdalia Cruz, conceived by Hilary Blecher.

Performances

''Frida'' was commissioned by the American Music Theater Festival (now Prince Music Theater) and premiered in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

in 1991, starring Helen Schneider as Frida Kahlo. It was revised in 1993, and has subsequently been produced at American Repertory Theater (

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

), the Brooklyn Academy of Music, City Summer Opera (

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

), the Houston Grand Opera, the Vienna Schauspielhaus, in Recklinghausen and Nordhausen (

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

), and by the Society for New Music (

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States. With a population of 148,620 and a Syracuse metropolitan area, metropolitan area of 662,057, it is the fifth-most populated city and 13 ...

). In 2007, to celebrate the 110th anniversary of Kahlo's birth, the opera was produced at the 10th Festival Cultural de Mayo in Guadalajara in a Spanish translation by Josefina Garcia. Original Cast: Helen Schneider ( Frida Kahlo); Marc Krause ( Diego Rivera); Karen Hale (Mother/Lupe Rivera/Mrs. Rockefeller/Mrs. Trotsky); Alba Quezada ( Cristina Kahlo/Mrs. Ford); David Toney ( Mr. Kahlo/Mr. Rockefeller/A. Cachucha/ Edward G. Robinson/Petate Vendor). In 2015, Michigan Opera Theater produced a revival of the work directed by José Maria Condemi. Starring Catalina Cuervo as Frida Kahlo and Ricardo Herrera in the role of Diego Rivera. Colombian American Soprano Catalina Cuervo has sung the role of Frida for Cincinnati Opera (2017),

Florida Grand Opera Florida Grand Opera (FGO) is an American opera company based in Miami, Florida. It is the oldest performing arts organization in Florida and the seventh oldest opera company in the United States. FGO was created in 1994 from the consolidation of ...

(2019), Atlanta Opera (2019), Anchorage Opera (2020) and

Portland Opera Portland Opera is an American opera company based in Portland, Oregon. Its performances take place in the Keller Auditorium and Newmark Theatre, both part of the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. Portland Opera also produces a separate su ...

(2021).

Recordings

* Musical Theater Works Concert Suite from ''Frida'' – Angelina Réaux, Soprano; Voices of Change; Robert Xavier Rodríguez, Conductor CRI, CD824

References

Listing on G. Schirmer website

* ttp://www.operaamerica.org/applications/nawd/newworks/details.aspx?id=540 ''Opera America'' article
''The Harvard Crimson'' review
{{English-opera-stub English-language operas Operas Operas set in Mexico 1991 operas Operas by Robert Xavier Rodriguez Operas based on real people Operas set in the 20th century Cultural depictions of Frida Kahlo