The House on Mango Street
Glimmerglass's Compelling World Premiere Opera
By: Victor Cordell - Jul 20, 2025
Since its publication 40 years ago, Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street has been one of the most powerful literary forces in the teen and young adult market. With over 6 million (reference: Wikipedia) or 8 million (according to the author) books sold, its popularity is buoyed by frequent listing in high school curricula and by notoriety from banning.
Having previously received permission to compose songs from the book’s text, Derek Bermel asked Cisneros to collaborate in creation of an opera based on the book. Glimmerglass Festival has commissioned and premiered the work with a stunningly rich depiction of life in a Mexican-American neighborhood in1980s Chicago. The opera entertains as its vibrant, eclectic music manifests the diverse musical culture that lives in Chicano communities.
Cisneros speaks of identifying the 10 things that only you know about, and then revealing those you want to forget. She does this in The House on Mango Street with colorful images and eloquent language. These vignettes draw from the author’s own upbringing and experience teaching in an immigrant community. Like the music, the episode-driven format is both a strength and a weakness, highlighting diversity at the expense of drama.
Events reflect the world perceived by teenage girl, Esperanza, portrayed by promising soprano Mikaela Bennett. Like some neighborhood denizens, she dreams of getting away from Mango Street, while others love life there, perhaps because it is the only one they know.
Esperanza has her own story, mournful but not tragic, as she comes from a stable background. She suffers ridicule because of her long name and even its optimistic meaning – hope, in English. As articulated by a friend, she seeks the three things that matter to a girl transitioning to womanhood – education, financial self-sufficiency, and avoiding pregnancy. While she lacks experience in many areas, she also strives to help her friends avoid pitfalls. But Esperanza’s resolve will be tested when she herself is victimized.
Nearly 30 named principals enliven the narrative, resulting in street scenes full of energy and movement - the twins Lucy and Rachel who live for today; Cathy the Queen of Cats with her flashy style; Alicia the college girl with lectures on everything; Sire and Tito, the fast boys with cool grooves. No doubt, these characters animate the novel. But while they give great color to the opera and sparkle individually, many of the episodes involving them impede the dramatic arc.
Esperanza’s own story provides drama, as do her intersections with two other characters. Sally is performed by a strong-voiced and effusive Taylor-Alexis DuPont, whose arias display a hefty top end to her voice. She is a good friend of Esperanza’s with an even more engrossing narrative. She tries to walk the line by having a good time with the boys, but not allowing them to go further than she wants. Sally also suffers abuse from her father, with whom she has a complex relationship often common in these situations.
The other dramatic personage is the most humble and least integrated into the social structure of the community. He is Geraldo, the street vendor, who, though poor, best recognizes the richness of what he has. Working conspicuously in the open, and sadly relevant to our times, his biggest fear, like that of many others, is deportation. He will suffer tragedy that links him to Sally. An adjustment that doesn’t stray far from these three characters’ storylines would probably result in less brightness but a more taut and compelling stage drama.
The music that supports the libretto brims with hummable melodies; tweaks the nostalgia with samplings of the likes of “Guantanamera” and “Habañera” from Bizet’s Carmen; and serves up all manner of musical styles. The twins, who are from South Texas, sing in Tejano style; Sally’s “Take and Take” is gospel-like; Sire’s “Ought Not To Be” is hip-hop; and more. Some may consider this pastiche, but in any case, it is spirited and works well. The most touching is the concluding number, Esperanza’s ballad, “A House of my Own,” which summarizes her hope for a better life. The beautiful soundtrack with its mix of idioms sounds almost like a sung-through musical, which some operagoers may find too far from the classical vein or from the received operatic wisdom of today to consider it appropriate to the opera house.
An additional element that makes The House on Mango Street work is its visual cacophony, and I mean that in the most positive sense. World-renowned John Conklin, who died less than a month ago at age 88, came out of retirement to set design four productions, including this one, for the 50th Anniversary Season of Glimmerglass. Conklin may be known to Bay Area fans for his design of San Francisco Opera’s Ring Cycle. This representation is astonishing with flushes of red, stick-skeleton houses, a huge El Muerto puppet and giant clown faces. The bold look brings the street to life. Add the costumery and movement of the players on stage, and the vitality of Director Chía Patiño’s vision makes for a special experience.
Of course, credit should go to the original source material for the opera. With all of its sadness, Sandra Cisneros paints a loving picture about coming of age and of a people whom she honors and whom deserve to be celebrated.
The House on Mango Street, a world premiere composed by Derek Bermel with libretto by Sandra Cisneros and Derek Bermel, is produced by Glimmerglass Festival and plays at Alice Busch Opera Theater, 7300 State Highway 80, Cooperstown, NY through August 16, 2025.