By Coral Gables Gazette staff

When the curtain rises at the Miracle Theatre in Coral Gables on September 27, a 17th-century Mexican nun will take center stage — not as a relic of history, but as a living embodiment of intellect, creativity, and spiritual struggle.

Juana Inés, a one-act opera by Venezuelan composer Federico Ruiz with libretto by Daniel Daroca, anchors the double bill Spain, My Love: Opera Meets Ballet, a collaboration between The Opera Atelier and Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida. The work portrays Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, the legendary scholar, poet and proto-feminist of colonial New Spain, as she seeks harmony between her spiritual vocation and her unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

The opera is presented with the chorus Voices of Miami and features alternating mezzo-sopranos Greisel Domínguez and Silvia Ludueña in the title role. Cast members include Jorge Arcila, Yohan Rodríguez, Patricia Arcadí, and Karel Morell.

A Miami-made world premiere

For the Miami arts community, Juana Inés is a rarity — a newly commissioned opera, locally staged, and centered on a Latin American heroine. “There are no precedents,” Daroca told Artburst Miami. “We are creating her from scratch — a moment from zero.”

Ruiz’s score evokes what the composer calls “the duality of solitude and expression,” using a chamber ensemble and choral textures to create a sense of timeless ritual. The libretto draws from Sor Juana’s writings, but the opera resists linear storytelling. Instead, it uses dreamlike tableaux to explore the tension between faith and freedom — a conflict Sor Juana ultimately lost, silenced by the Church late in her life.

From opera to ballet: Two worlds, one heritage

After the opera, the production transitions from voice to movement, as Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida takes the stage for two original ballets that explore Spanish cultural themes through dance.

First comes Tarde en la Siesta, choreographed by Alberto Méndez to music by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona. Languid and nostalgic, the piece captures the stillness of a Spanish afternoon, its quiet gestures evoking both longing and memory.

Then comes Viva España, choreographed by Arts Ballet’s artistic director Vladimir Issaev to music by Massenet. Brighter in tone and more celebratory in structure, the piece embraces classical Spanish dance motifs — footwork, fan flourishes, and elevated posture — in a stylized tribute to national pride.

Together, the ballets offer a shift in mood and medium, complementing the introspective energy of Juana Inés with movement that is communal, exuberant, and expressive.

A season rooted in Spanish influence

Spain, My Love is the first program in The Opera Atelier’s 2025–2026 season of the same name — a season devoted to Spanish and Hispanic musical traditions. Upcoming productions will explore the artistic links between Giacomo Rossini, Mercedes Jaruco, and the García family, whose legacy helped shape the bel canto tradition in both Europe and the Americas.

The season furthers the company’s mission to develop new works while fostering collaborations across disciplines. In partnering with Arts Ballet Theatre, The Opera Atelier brings together vocalists, choreographers, instrumentalists and dancers under a unified artistic vision — one grounded in heritage and aimed at discovery.

A Coral Gables stage for new work

The venue itself — the historic Miracle Theatre — serves as an appropriate home for this cross-genre performance. Located in the heart of Coral Gables’ arts district, the theater has hosted everything from Broadway revivals to film festivals. But Spain, My Love marks one of its few recent forays into contemporary opera and ballet fusion.

Both performances — Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. — are open to the public, with tickets priced between $20 and $55. For Coral Gables audiences, the program offers not just entertainment, but a layered meditation on history, cultural identity, and the forms that can carry those legacies forward.

If you go…

What: Spain, My Love: Opera Meets Ballet
When: Saturday, Sept. 27 at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 28 at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables
Tickets: $20–$55
Presented by: The Opera Atelier and Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida
More info: theoperaatelier.org