A Journey of Faith / Un Camino de Fe
This season, Portland Opera to Go will present A Journey of Faith/ Un Camino de Fe by Hector Armiento. This youth opera, ideal for grades 4-9, is a story about faith and holding on to a dream.
Based on a true story, A Journey of Faith/Un Camino de Fe is a story within a story. It opens with a young Latina high school girl struggling with a writing assignment for a competition. Convinced that her family history is not interesting enough to tell, she is confronted by her older brother, who recounts through a series of flashbacks the emotional and difficult challenges her family faced as immigrants in the United States. Plagued by the Coyote (an immigrant smuggler), the opera’s antagonist, the family grapples with poverty, rejection and disillusionment, at times finding its only support in the father’s vision and faith. Thanks to her brother’s inspiring stories, the girl’s pride in her family and heritage is revived.
Learn more here.
Production Details
Duration: approx. 45 minutes
Accompaniment: piano
Commissioned by Opera Pacific
School Pricing: $1.75 per child in attendance with a $100 minimum
Cast:
Maricela - A young high school girl (soprano) & mostly non singing role. She learns from her brother Ricardo about how her family's journey from Mexico to the United States. Also doubles as the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Ricardo - Brother (tenor): Plays older brother in the first and last scene. However, during the flashbacks, he plays a young boy reluctant to leave his home in Mexico.
Jorge - Father (low baritone): Strong willed and determined to find a better home for his family.
Elisa - Sister(lyric soprano): Young sister, energetic
Carmela - Mother (mezzo soprano): Like her husband, wants to provide her children a better life.
Don Coyote III: Coyotes/Smuggler (low baritone): Landlord and opportunist, preys on the innocent. He also doubles as a truck driver.
This Portland Opera to Go production will be available from January 24 through March 25. Availability depends on location.
If you are an educator interested in bringing Portland Opera to Go to your students, please contact Alexis Hamilton, Portland Opera’s Manager of Education and Community Engagement by emailing ahamilton@Portlandopera.org.
