Librettist

Director

### Event Description: Cruzar la Cara de la Luna

#### Overview
Join us for an unforgettable evening as the San Antonio Opera presents "Cruzar la Cara de la Luna," a groundbreaking opera that has captivated audiences worldwide. This powerful production tells the poignant story of a Mexican American family divided by borders but united by their rich heritage. 

#### Performance Details
- **Dates and Times:**
  - October 3, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.
  - October 5, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
- **Venue:**
  - H-E-B Performance Hall, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

#### Pre-Show Lectures
Enhance your opera experience with our free pre-show lectures, held one hour prior to each performance in the Tobin Center’s Feik Rotunda. These educational sessions are open to all ticket holders and are designed to provide deeper insights into the production.

#### Musical and Artistic Credits
- **Music by:** José "Pepe" Martínez
- **Lyrics by:** Leonard Foglia and José "Pepe" Martínez
- **Libretto by:** Leonard Foglia
- **Featuring:** Mariachi Campanas de America

#### Additional Information
- **Running Time:** 1 hour and 30 minutes with no intermission
- **Languages:** Sung and spoken in Spanish and English, with translations projected above the stage.
- **Collaboration:** This production is presented in collaboration with Mariachi Campanas de America.

#### Tickets
- **Subscription:** Subscribe to the 2024/25 Season now.
- **Single Tickets:** On sale starting June 1st.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to experience a fusion of music and storytelling that celebrates familial bonds and enduring traditions. Secure your tickets and be part of this extraordinary event!

EPSG:4326

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna

Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

**Event Title:** Like They Do in The Movies

**Dates:** March 10-31, 2024

**Location:** Perelman Performing Arts Center, PAC NYC

**Description:**
Dive into the world of storytelling with Tony Award winner, Emmy Award winner, and Oscar nominee Laurence Fishburne in "Like They Do in The Movies." This one-man tour de force, written and performed by Fishburne himself, explores the myriad stories and lies that shape our lives, both those told to us and those we tell ourselves. Directed by Leonard Foglia, this production promises an intimate look into the art of narrative, brought to life by one of the most compelling voices in entertainment.

Fishburne's illustrious career spans unforgettable roles, from Ike Turner in "What’s Love Got to Do with It" to Morpheus in "The Matrix" series. Now, he brings his legendary storytelling prowess to the stage in a World Premiere event at PAC NYC. Don't miss this opportunity to witness a master at work, as Fishburne delves into the human condition with humor, honesty, and the unique insight of a seasoned actor and storyteller.

**Run Time:** Two hours and 20 minutes, including one intermission

**Production Credits:**
- **Author and Performer:** Laurence Fishburne
- **Director:** Leonard Foglia
- **Scenic Designer:** Neil Patel
- **Lighting Designer:** Tyler Micoleau
- **Sound Designer:** Justin Ellington
- **Projection Designer:** Elaine J. McCarthy
- And many more talented individuals behind the scenes.

**Special Events:**
- **Post-show Discussion:** March 22. Join Laurence Fishburne and acclaimed actor, writer, and teacher Anna Deavere Smith for an illuminating discussion on the creative process behind this captivating production.

**Advisory:** This production contains theatrical haze and fog.

**Reviews:**
- "Fishburne’s indomitable presence is the muscle behind Like They Do in The Movies. His performance is thoroughly engrossing." - The New York Times
- "One-man soul-bearing tour de force of storytelling. Don’t miss Laurence Fishburne’s galvanizing reflections and stellar performance." - DC Theater Arts

**Booking Information:** Book tickets for "Like They Do in The Movies" and experience the power of storytelling from one of the most dynamic voices in the arts today.

Like They Do in The Movies

Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo

The first ever Mariachi opera, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna/To Cross the Face of the Moon, follows the two families of Laurentino, a Mexican man who has moved to the United States to work, even though that means leaving behind his wife Renata and son Rafael. Although he sends money home, and visits when he can, his choices have tragic consequences for his family left in Michoacán. Decades later, he lies dying. Now an elderly man, cared for by his American son Mark and granddaughter Diana, Laurentino questions the true meaning for him of ‘family’ and ‘home’ after a life straddling two cultures, a life in which he kept so many secrets from those he loved. Even as he draws his final breath, the two strands of his life finally come together in an emotional reunion, and Laurentino perhaps finds the answers he needs to rest peacefully.

Long Center for the Performing Arts

In a small town in Michoacán, Mexico, two women, Renata and Lupita, are raising their families while their husbands, Laurentino and Chucho, work as braceros in the United States. Laurentino manages to come home for Christmas, but his return enflames an ongoing argument with Renata about his long work trips. Will Laurentino’s urge to support his family overshadow Renata’s desire to keep her family together in a rapidly changing world?

This new mariachi opera, a prequel to 2013’s Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, lovingly explores family traditions in the face of life-changing decisions and dreams of something more.

El Milagro del Recuerdo (The Miracle of Remembering)

San Diego Civic Theatre

Journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby awakes from a coma unable to move or speak, “locked-in” like a diver at the bottom of the sea. But his mind is as brilliant as ever, and with the help of his assistant, he creates his memoir—an extraordinary story of strength and imagination. This world premiere production from the composer of Everest will capture your heart from the first note.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

AT&T Performing Arts Center

The first of its kind ever written, this mariachi opera by José “Pepé” Martínez and Leonard Foglia marries two musical worlds with one thing in common: each finds its fullest voice in the telling of moving tales, and Cruzar is no exception. After leaving his wife and son in Mexico to find work in the United States, Laurentino is torn between distance and duty. Decades later, and with days to live, he looks back on how the choices he made became the secrets he kept, with consequences that will redefine what it means to be a family. With sorrowful serenades, Cruzar creates a seamless musical merger that spans the distance of its cultural differences with sublimely bittersweet songs that make full use of their enhanced ability to take an emotional toll. Grammy-award-winning mariachi band Mariachi los Camperos will perform with Lyric Opera of Kansas City in this production.

Leonard Foglia

Librettist, Director

Events

Upcoming events

7 - 9 Mar, 2025

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna · Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Past events

3 - 5 Oct, 2024

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna · OPERA San Antonio

10 - 31 Mar, 2024

Like They Do in The Movies · Perelman Performing Arts Center

About

Leonard Foglia hasn't added a bio