San Antonio-based composer Nathan Felix will debut his latest opera, El Conquistador, March 2, at The Little Carver Civic Center. The 75-minute work is performed in Spanish and follows the life of Hernán Cortés, the conquistador who ostensibly caused the fall of the Aztec empire.
A subplot centers around Cortes’ relationship with La Malinche, an enslaved Indigenous girl who became Cortés’ interpreter, cultural translator and the mother of his first-born son. Felix’s opera explores the duality of La Malinche’s role in negotiations and how that impacted the course of colonial history.
Felix, who taught himself music composition by studying at the library and workshopping ideas with his former band, The Noise Revival Orchestra, has composed four symphonies and performed over 30 chamber works all over the globe.
In the past decade, Felix has explored themes from his “Hispanic heritage to Texas landscapes and war stories.”
“But over the last four to five years, I’ve focused on themes related to border stories and Latinx culture,” he said.
He employs an unorthodox approach to operatic performances, mimicking a Brechtian theatrical tactic in which the wall between performers and the audience dissolves, making onlookers into participants instead of passive observers.
Felix’s methodology poses logistical complexities for himself, performers and conductors alike. Thus, working with people who understand his process is a boon.
“I love when I have the opportunity to work with musicians I’ve worked with previously because there is a level of trust, respect and friendship that continues to grow,” he said.
Felix first worked with conductor Nieves Villaseñor in Gainesville for an immersive presentation of his opera Ribas-Dominicci at the Harn Museum of Art in 2022.
“Last year he moved to San Antonio for a job at the University of the Incarnate Word, so it made sense to reconnect for El Conquistador,” he said.
Most of the performers Felix cast for the opera he had previously worked with, and the two performers new to his work were recommended by other cast members. Felix said he cast Celeste Morales as Malinche and she recommended Thomas Soto for the role of Cortés, who then recommended Kimberly Sandoval for the role of Catalina.
“As musicians, conductors, performers and artists, we live our real-world experiences through sound and collaboration with others,” said Villaseñor. “My role is to really keep the timeline of the story going so our observers and performers can live a ‘virtual reality equivalent’ of experiencing music. The line between performer and observer becomes so blurred that you become one with the story.”
Other featured musicians include violinist José Irizarry, violist Ptotia Furlow, cellist Stephen Young and choral singers Christiana Davis, Laura Grindle, Steph Huskin and Kelly Vix-Miller.
El Conquistador debuts Saturday, March 2, at 8 p.m. at The Little Carver. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased on the Carver’s website.
