Zpectacular Performance

Opera Santa Barbara sold out both performances at the Lobero of its highly entertaining show Zorro by Hector Armienta, who wrote both the music and the libretto.

The action character, a sort of Spanish Robin Hood, made his debut in a 1919 novel The Curse of Capistrano by author Johnston McCulley.

The action – with Xavier Prado as the dashing masked vigilante dispatching Spanish military foes right, left and center with his ever-present rapier and trademark Z – is based in 1814 Los Angeles, when it was still a Spanish colony.

Soprano Oriana Falla, in her OSB debut as Zorro’s love interest, and mezzo-soprano Kelly Guerra, also besotted with the principal character, were on top of their game, with tenor Bernardo Bermudez as the detested general.

Jessica Gonzalez-Rodriguez, mezzo-soprano, and tenor Omar Rodriguez, also added to the talented cast, with the orchestra conducted by Anthony Barrese. Of particular note were the creatively designed projection-driven sets by Daniel Chapman.

The two-hour two-act show, with stage direction by Octavio Cardenas, was a joyous triumph…