The beauty of opera blends with mariachi to tell this heartwarming pastorela story with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra.

El Milagro del Recuerdo (The Miracle of Remembering) is a heartwarming holiday mariachi opera full of family traditions, love, and dreams of a better tomorrow. Sung in Spanish (with English and Spanish text projected above the stage) this new mariachi opera, a prequel to 2013’s Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, lovingly explores family traditions in the face of life-changing decisions and dreams of something more.

In a small town in Michoacán, Mexico, two women, Renata and Lupita, are raising their families while their husbands, Laurentino and Chucho, work as braceros in the United States. Laurentino manages to come home for Christmas, but his return enflames an ongoing argument with Renata about his long work trips. Will Laurentino’s urge to support his family overshadow Renata’s desire to keep her family together in a rapidly changing world?

This new mariachi opera, a prequel to 2013’s Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, lovingly explores family traditions in the face of life-changing decisions and dreams of something more.

Sung in Spanish, this opera marks the welcome return of mezzo-soprano Claudia Chapa, who made her Company debut as La Badessa/Zita in 2022’s The Puccini Duo, as Josefina. She is joined by mezzo-soprano Sishel Claverie as Renata and baritone Héctor Vásquez, who made his Company debut as Capitán in 2018’s Florencia en el Amazonas, as Aba. Stage Director Leonard Foglia (Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, El pasado nunca se termina, and Moby-Dick), returns to stage his libretto with James Lowe conducting.

To make things even more festive, there will be a variety of family-friendly activities -- pre and post-performance -- in the plaza, including a live muralist, music, holiday decorations and possibly even an appearance from Santa. Additionally, there will be delectable holiday-themed food items like Tamales, Mexican Sweet Treats, Mexican Hot Chocolate, a speciality cocktail and more.

El Milagro del Recuerdo (The Miracle of Remembering) - HOLIDAY OPERA