Known in Spanish as El último sueño de Frida y Diego, the scenic and costume design are the greatest successes of this modern look at the two renowned Mexican artists at the LA Opera.
By John Lavitt
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 12/12/23 – When I first heard that the LA Opera was putting on a modern Spanish Opera about the lives of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, I was excited beyond belief. The epic lives of these two Mexican artists and their dramatic relationship are some of the best narratives of 20th-century art. Indeed, the brutal bus accident that Frida Kahlo experienced when she was eighteen years old haunted her for the rest of her life. Plagued by her injuries and the indiscretions of her husband, Diego Rivera, she took an overdose of painkillers, dying at 47. Frida and Diego’s storyline is ripe for the drama that makes the best operatic stories.
However, such a story is not told in The Last Dream of Frida and Diego. Although baritone Alfredo Danza and mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack are perfectly cast as the two leads with magnificent voices, they are not given the opportunity to tell the story. Although the opera composed by Gabriela Lena Frank is stirring and powerful, it does not find a home in words that match its quality. Indeed, the most significant fault of the opera is the twisted story of librettist Nilo Cruz, who tells a morbid tale that takes place almost entirely in the cemetery where Frida is buried before and on the Day of the Dead.
What is so frustrating is that the work of the LA Opera team is nothing less than stellar. Beyond the handsome lead performances, Jorge Ballina outdoes himself as the scenic designer. The imagery of the cemetery mixes the flowery beauty of the Day of the Dead with skulls and tombstones. Hence, the beauty is so much to take in that its horrific context becomes almost subliminal. Moreover, the mechanical movement of the cemetery allows the graves to rise to create a sense of the underworld where La Catrina, the Keeper of the Dead, guards the fallen souls. As played by soprano Ana María Martínez, her costume and design make the supernatural character the opera’s highlight.
Indeed, complementing Jorge Ballina’s scenic design, Eloise Kazan outdoes herself with the costumes. Since the underworld and the cemetery are populated by dead characters from across the ages, ranging from the days of Montezuma to 1957, the year of Diego Rivera’s death, the costumes’ breadth is impressive. Beyond such versatility, the striking beauty of these costumes takes your breath away. Although Frida and Diego’s representation is accurate, reflecting the historical record, the real triumph is the creation of La Catrina. Her costumes balance what is gorgeous with what is terrifying perfectly. Her imposing and dramatic presence takes the beautiful settings to the next level of excellence. It feels like a dark goddess is walking the earth, and nobody is safe.
However, such feelings, captured so well by the costumes, scenes, and music, are not reflected in the written text. Once again, the libretto is ponderous at best, revealing almost nothing about these magnificent historical icons. Very little happens, and the second half feels like it is dominated by Diego’s lust for Frida and every other woman on stage. Rather than reveal the complexities of two complex lives, the storyline falls flat and disappoints.
Still, the scenic design comes very close to redeeming this flaw. Backed by the wonderful conducting of Colombia-born Lina González-Granados, the second act plays with the artists by executing a scene where all the characters are captured in frames. Indeed, this scene is nothing less than spectacular. It feels like the art is coming alive on stage, and one wishes that the stories of the artists had been told to reflect this innovation.
It is hard to write a review when an opportunity at greatness has been lost. Such a bitter taste is the lasting sentiment from The Last Dream of Frida and Diego. Given the incredible scenic and costume design and the beautiful music conducted so well, you desperately want a libretto reflecting this triumphant hard work. Nilo Cruz is a deeply respected writer with a long list of impressive awards, including a Pulitzer Prize. Unfortunately, even great writers take the wrong step now and then. One wishes the writer gave more respect to the telling of the stories of Frida and Diego. Their stories are overwhelmed by the supernatural strangeness of the opera.
Photos by Cory Weaver