Immersed in La Malinche

The exhibition inspires a new composition.

COMPOSER NATHAN FELIX HAS A UNIQUE NICHE. He composes interactive operas based on museum exhibitions. One project was his critically acclaimed immersive opera, Alien Wanderers : Alien World : Alien Home, which premiered in 2019 at Blanton Museum in Austin, Texas. Alien addressed discrimination and issues surrounding the United States’ southern border, marginalized groups, and re-appropriation of borders. Felix, who is Mexican-American, is particularly interested in Latinx stories, so Associate Curator of Education Jessica Coyle contacted Felix about creating an opera based on the exhibition Traitor, Survivor, Icon: La Malinche. “I’m really excited that we have the opportunity to try something new, do a world premiere, and tie it into a gallery space,” Coyle says. “It’s a different connection when you do a production like this in front of the artwork.”

The Museum caught up with Felix about his opera: AM: What appeals to you about this story? NF: It’s perfect for theater. I wanted to feature La Malinche, who some looked at as a traitor, although a more positive light has been shed on her now. I wanted that to be the focal point to build tension. What was her mentality, when she was essentially helping the Spanish wipe out her culture—did she have a choice? Also, I feel connected to the Mestizo elements of the story. I am a product of Malinche and her service to Cortés.

AM: What kinds of difficulties did you face in creating this composition? NF: There is not really a lot of documentation about La Malinche so it is hard to give her a voice. Everything is really from the Spanish perspective. Historians tried to interpret and give their take. But I had to really fictionalize things—I tried to focus on what her mentality would be … I try to picture her feeling empowered. AM: How does one go about composing an opera from scratch? NF: I do a lot of research, go online and try to find as much as I can about subject matter. Once I have an idea of a storyline and narrative, I sit down at my piano and start playing. I hone into certain feelings and sentiments that I want the characters to have. I keep building on the music’s theme and then write the libretto second. Most of the time, people write the libretto first, or the librettist gives the script to the composer.

AM: What happens at an immersive opera? What can visitors expect? NF: Some of it will be in Spanish and because it is an immersive opera, it won’t be in a traditional theater with traditional staging. The idea is to do it in the lobby, then it moves into the gallery with the exhibition as a backdrop.

I think visitors can expect to hear amazing singers [who are local to Albuquerque], and very melodic, very beautiful music. They should come with an open mind to experience opera in a truly unique way.

Nathan Felix filming in the background of an immersive opera at the Harn Museum in Florida LA MALINCHE

Editor’s Note: The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

ON VIEW

IMMERSIVE OPERA

July 21, 5-8:30 p.m.