The world premiere of Primero Sueño, a processional opera by Paola Prestini and Magos Herrera, will be performed at The Met Cloisters on January 23 - 26, 2025. The co-composition is based on the landmark poem written in 1692 by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, "Primero Sueño" (First, I Dream), which is widely considered one of the greatest literary works of the Hispanic Baroque period. Sor Juana was a poet, dramatist, scholar, nun, and influential writer of the 17th century. She is often recognized as the first published feminist of the Americas.
Developed in Mexico City and San Miguel De Allende with a team of advisors including Ronda Kasl (Curator of Latin American Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art) and Alfonso Miranda (Director General of El Museo Soumaya), Primero Sueño explores themes of mysticism, feminism, and the power of the natural world at large through intimate and highly symbolic text. In their co-written Spanish libretto, Prestini and Herrera interpret the words of Sor Juana, giving them an operatic voice through a physical procession through the sacred spaces of The Met Cloisters. Each of the Museum’s cloisters and chapels is mapped to the ascension of the soul and knowledge, illuminating the history of each space and its connection to the poem. Herrera, herself, plays Sor Juana, and the award-winning German vocal ensemble Sjaella, who will be making their U.S. theatrical debut, represent both the nuns and the poem’s vivid images, which range from birds to pyramids to characters of Greek mythology. They will be accompanied by a team of virtuoso instrumentalists: Celso Duarte on Paraguayan and Mexican jarocho harp; and arranger, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Luca Tarantino on theorbo and Spanish guitar. The production is directed by Louisa Proske (co-founder of Heartbeat Opera, who directed The Mother of Us All at The Met in 2020), with choreography by Jorrell Lawyer-Jefferson, light design by Jiyoun Chang, sound design by Christian Frederickson, projection design by Jorge Cousineau, and masks by David Herrera.
During the performance, each singer will wear a bespoke escudo de monja (a nun's badge) that will double as acoustic speaker, light, and projection devices designed by costumes, props and wearable technology device designer Andrea Lauer, in collaboration with design technologists from New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program (NYU ITP). These sonic devices will allow the audience to hear personal aspects of Sor Juana's narrative and will also serve as beams of light and projection surfaces.
Primero Sueño is commissioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Live Arts (MetLiveArts) and VisionIntoArt.
Creative Team:
Paola Prestini & Magos Herrera, co-creators
Louisa Proske, director
Magos Herrera, lead performer
Sjaella, vocal ensemble
Celso Duarte, harps and hand percussion
Luca Tarantino, theorbo and Spanish guitar
Ras Dia, creative producer
Yuriria Fanjul, assistant director
Jorrell Lawyer-Jefferson, associate director & choreographer
Andrea Lauer, costume, props, & wearable
technology designer
Jiyoun Chang, lighting designer
Christian Fredrickson, sound designer
Jorge Cousineau, projection designer
David Herrera, mask & sculpture designer
The world premiere of Primero Sueño, a processional opera by Paola Prestini and Magos Herrera, will be performed at The Met Cloisters on January 23 - 26, 2025. The co-composition is based on the landmark poem written in 1692 by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, "Primero Sueño" (First, I Dream), which is widely considered one of the greatest literary works of the Hispanic Baroque period. Sor Juana was a poet, dramatist, scholar, nun, and influential writer of the 17th century. She is often recognized as the first published feminist of the Americas.
Developed in Mexico City and San Miguel De Allende with a team of advisors including Ronda Kasl (Curator of Latin American Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art) and Alfonso Miranda (Director General of El Museo Soumaya), Primero Sueño explores themes of mysticism, feminism, and the power of the natural world at large through intimate and highly symbolic text. In their co-written Spanish libretto, Prestini and Herrera interpret the words of Sor Juana, giving them an operatic voice through a physical procession through the sacred spaces of The Met Cloisters. Each of the Museum’s cloisters and chapels is mapped to the ascension of the soul and knowledge, illuminating the history of each space and its connection to the poem. Herrera, herself, plays Sor Juana, and the award-winning German vocal ensemble Sjaella, who will be making their U.S. theatrical debut, represent both the nuns and the poem’s vivid images, which range from birds to pyramids to characters of Greek mythology. They will be accompanied by a team of virtuoso instrumentalists: Celso Duarte on Paraguayan and Mexican jarocho harp; and arranger, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Luca Tarantino on theorbo and Spanish guitar. The production is directed by Louisa Proske (co-founder of Heartbeat Opera, who directed The Mother of Us All at The Met in 2020), with choreography by Jorrell Lawyer-Jefferson, light design by Jiyoun Chang, sound design by Christian Frederickson, projection design by Jorge Cousineau, and masks by David Herrera.
During the performance, each singer will wear a bespoke escudo de monja (a nun's badge) that will double as acoustic speaker, light, and projection devices designed by costumes, props and wearable technology device designer Andrea Lauer, in collaboration with design technologists from New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program (NYU ITP). These sonic devices will allow the audience to hear personal aspects of Sor Juana's narrative and will also serve as beams of light and projection surfaces.
Primero Sueño is commissioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Live Arts (MetLiveArts) and VisionIntoArt.
Creative Team:
Paola Prestini & Magos Herrera, co-creators
Louisa Proske, director
Magos Herrera, lead performer
Sjaella, vocal ensemble
Celso Duarte, harps and hand percussion
Luca Tarantino, theorbo and Spanish guitar
Ras Dia, creative producer
Yuriria Fanjul, assistant director
Jorrell Lawyer-Jefferson, associate director & choreographer
Andrea Lauer, costume, props, & wearable
technology designer
Jiyoun Chang, lighting designer
Christian Fredrickson, sound designer
Jorge Cousineau, projection designer
David Herrera, mask & sculpture designer
The world premiere of Primero Sueño, a processional opera by Paola Prestini and Magos Herrera, will be performed at The Met Cloisters on January 23 - 26, 2025. The co-composition is based on the landmark poem written in 1692 by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, "Primero Sueño" (First, I Dream), which is widely considered one of the greatest literary works of the Hispanic Baroque period. Sor Juana was a poet, dramatist, scholar, nun, and influential writer of the 17th century. She is often recognized as the first published feminist of the Americas.
Developed in Mexico City and San Miguel De Allende with a team of advisors including Ronda Kasl (Curator of Latin American Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art) and Alfonso Miranda (Director General of El Museo Soumaya), Primero Sueño explores themes of mysticism, feminism, and the power of the natural world at large through intimate and highly symbolic text. In their co-written Spanish libretto, Prestini and Herrera interpret the words of Sor Juana, giving them an operatic voice through a physical procession through the sacred spaces of The Met Cloisters. Each of the Museum’s cloisters and chapels is mapped to the ascension of the soul and knowledge, illuminating the history of each space and its connection to the poem. Herrera, herself, plays Sor Juana, and the award-winning German vocal ensemble Sjaella, who will be making their U.S. theatrical debut, represent both the nuns and the poem’s vivid images, which range from birds to pyramids to characters of Greek mythology. They will be accompanied by a team of virtuoso instrumentalists: Celso Duarte on Paraguayan and Mexican jarocho harp; and arranger, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Luca Tarantino on theorbo and Spanish guitar. The production is directed by Louisa Proske (co-founder of Heartbeat Opera, who directed The Mother of Us All at The Met in 2020), with choreography by Jorrell Lawyer-Jefferson, light design by Jiyoun Chang, sound design by Christian Frederickson, projection design by Jorge Cousineau, and masks by David Herrera.
During the performance, each singer will wear a bespoke escudo de monja (a nun's badge) that will double as acoustic speaker, light, and projection devices designed by costumes, props and wearable technology device designer Andrea Lauer, in collaboration with design technologists from New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program (NYU ITP). These sonic devices will allow the audience to hear personal aspects of Sor Juana's narrative and will also serve as beams of light and projection surfaces.
Primero Sueño is commissioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Live Arts (MetLiveArts) and VisionIntoArt.
Creative Team:
Paola Prestini & Magos Herrera, co-creators
Louisa Proske, director
Magos Herrera, lead performer
Sjaella, vocal ensemble
Celso Duarte, harps and hand percussion
Luca Tarantino, theorbo and Spanish guitar
Ras Dia, creative producer
Yuriria Fanjul, assistant director
Jorrell Lawyer-Jefferson, associate director & choreographer
Andrea Lauer, costume, props, & wearable
technology designer
Jiyoun Chang, lighting designer
Christian Fredrickson, sound designer
Jorge Cousineau, projection designer
David Herrera, mask & sculpture designer
