Dreams Americanos – A New Bilingual One-Act Opera

Audio Samples Below

Dreams Americanos is a new opera Sung in English and Spanish which is rooted in the contemporary immigrant experience. This bilingual opera is set in a pub in the ocean side town of Santa Cruz. Dani, a queer singer/songwriter and recent immigrant from Guatemala, falls silently in love with Maddie, a fellow server and young university student. But Dani has a rival, Cristian, the pub's barman. Cristian is also Dani’s friend, and her allegiance to him proves costly.

Based loosely based on Cyrano de Bergerac, Dreams Americanos features complex characters not easily defined by their labels. It presents the complex social fabric found in America and follows the character's dreams and challenges while tracing a classic love triangle.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

DREAMS AMERICANOS

A Chamber Opera in Two Acts

Dreams Americanos is a new opera Sung in English and Spanish which is rooted in the contemporary immigrant experience. This bilingual opera is set in a pub in the ocean side town of Santa Cruz. Based loosely based on Cyrano de Bergerac, Dreams Americanos features complex characters not easily defined by their labels. It presents the complex social fabric found in America and follows the character's dreams and challenges while tracing a classic love triangle.

Creative Team:

Christopher Pratorius Gómez: Music
Alan Olejniczak & Christopher Pratorius Gómez: Libretto

Synopsis:

Dani, a queer singer/songwriter and recent immigrant from Guatemala, falls silently in love with Maddie, a fellow server and young university student. But Dani has a rival, Cristian, the pub's barman. Cristian wants to impress Maddie with a song and asks Dani, a prolific songwriter, to write one for him in exchange for English tutoring. It all goes wrong when Cristian cannot remember the song, and Dani must sing the Spanish lyrics to Cristian while he sings them in English to Maddie (the balcony scene). The ballad works its magic, and Maddie falls for Cristian. The couple dates for a time, but Cristian eventually tires of the relationship and breaks Maddie's heart. Dani tries to comfort Maddie and is compelled to kiss the woman she has longed for, hoping that the love she poured into her songs will manifest in her life.

Score and Production Information: Duration: 60 minutes

Cast of six: Dani, Latina, 20's mezzo-soprano; Maddie, white, 20's soprano; Cristian, Latino, 20's, tenor; Mateo, Black or mixed race, 40's, Bass-Baritone; Taylor, any race, 20's, soprano. Darcy, white, 20's (non-singing role)

Instrumentation (20): Clarinet, bassoon, marimba, latin percussion, orchestral percussion, guitar, solo violin, violin section (4), solo viola, viola section (3) & double bass.