From a concept by Julia Bullock and new arrangement by Christian Reif, John Adams’ massive revisionist opera-oratorio is transformed into an intimate setting for chamber orchestra. Interweaving biblical verse with poetry by Latin American writers, El Niño considers the Nativity story from Mary's perspective and explores in Adams' words, "what is meant by a miracle."
Local artist Rebecca Nava Soto enhances this intimate musical experience with an immersive installation inspired by El Niño and her Xicanx-Latinx heritage, where the syncretism of earth as mother converges with indigenous, Mesoamerican mythologies.
Audience members will navigate through a tactile, sensory landscape, that's both visual and olfactory, working in tandem with El Niño's rich and emotional musical narrative and transporting participants to a realm where art and ritual converge.