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Biography

Héctor Armienta, a nationally recognized composer, focuses on creating work that explores the Mexican and Mexican-American cultural experience.  His awards and commissions include those from Meet the Composer, the National Endowment for the Arts, Arts International, Opera Pacific, the Pacific Symphony, Opera Southwest, Oakland East Bay Symphony, and Western Stage Theater. His work for orchestra, theater, and opera  has received support from six NEA grants in artistic excellence.
As an opera and music theater composer, he draws on stories and music that represent his bi-cultural roots. His music theater trilogy, Aguas Ancestrales/Ancient Waters, is such an example. Inspired by the life of Mr. Armienta’s grandmother, the trilogy draws upon the natural and spiritual element of water. Parts of the trilogy have been performed by Opera Pacific, Western Stage Theater, The York Theater in New York, Philadelphia’s Center City Opera, and most recently in Barcelona Spain.
  

Bless Me,  Ultima, which had  its world premiere in New Mexico and west coast premiere in California,   had sold out performances.. It's based on Rudolfo Anaya's epic novel of the same title. Upcoming projects include Zorro - a Mariachi Opera, Mi Camino - An Immigration Song Cycle, and La Muerte - part III of his Aguas Ancestrales Trilogy. 

Mr. Armienta is also the founder and director of Opera Cultura, whose mission is to explore music theater and opera through a cross-cultural lens. He holds a BM degree in composition from California Institute of the Arts and an MM degree in composition from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. 
​

About

Composer​ ​-​ ​Librettist​ ​-​ ​Pianist
I’m​ ​neither​ ​Mexican​ ​or​ ​American,​ ​but​ ​Mexican-American.​ ​Like​ ​my​ ​work,​ ​​ ​I exist​ ​in​ ​and​ ​in​ ​between​ ​these​ ​two​ ​cultural​ ​worlds.​ ​Drawing​ ​on​ ​my​ ​training as​ ​a​ ​classical​ ​composer,​ ​my​ ​mission​ ​is​ ​to​ ​reinvent​ ​classical​ ​musical​ ​forms by​ ​incorporating​ ​music​ ​from​ ​both​ ​sides​ ​of​ ​the​ ​border.

Whether​ ​it​ ​be​ ​Mariachi,​ ​music​ ​Azteca,​ ​or​ ​corridos​ ​(​ ​folk​ ​songs)​ ​​ ​from​ ​the fields​ ​of​ ​the​ ​central​ ​California,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​find​ ​elements​ ​of​ ​this​ ​music​ ​in​ ​much of​ ​my​ ​work.​ ​​ ​This​ ​approach​ ​allows​ ​me​ ​and​ ​others​ ​to​ ​explore​ ​what​ ​it​ ​means to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​Mexican​ ​American​ ​through​ ​a​ ​new​ ​lens​ ​-​ ​classical​ ​music​ ​and​ ​opera.

With​ ​​La​ ​Llorona​​ ​-​ ​A​ ​Musical​ ​Drama,​ ​for​ ​example​ ​I​ ​retold​ ​the​ ​folk​ ​legend​ ​of the​ ​Mexican​ ​Medea​ ​that​ ​is​ ​known​ ​from​ ​the​ ​US​ ​to​ ​the​ ​southern​ ​stage​ ​of Chiapas​ ​Mexico.​ ​In​ ​​Postcards​ ​in​ ​México,​ ​a​ ​work​ ​for​ ​orchestra,​​ ​I​ ​showcased and​ ​highlighted​ ​​ ​the​ ​musical​ ​landscape​ ​of​ ​México.​​ ​​Other​ ​works,​ ​like​ ​​Bless Me​ ​Ultima​ ​-​ ​A​ ​Mexican​ ​American​ ​Opera,​ ​​brought​ ​novelist​ ​Rudolfo​ ​Anaya’s epic​ ​novel​ ​to​ ​the​ ​operatic​ ​stage
My​ ​entire​ ​work​ ​is​ ​part​ ​of​ ​my​ ​self​ ​exploration​ ​of​ ​cultural​ ​identity​ ​but​ ​If​ ​I​ ​was asked​ ​what​ ​I​ ​hope​ ​to​ ​be​ ​my​ ​legacy,​ ​I’d​ ​answer,​ ​“T​ o​ ​give​ ​voice​ ​to​ ​my community.​” 



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  • Home
  • About
  • Gallery
    • Zorro
    • Coyotes and Rabbits
    • Bless Me Ultima
    • Cuentos
    • Mi Camino
    • La Llorona
    • River of Women
  • STORE
    • Sheet Music - Other
    • Holiday Sheet Music
    • Bless Me Ultima
    • Licensing
  • Schedule
  • Ventra
  • Contact