The story of Generalissimo revolves around the darkly twisted logic of a Latin American dictator who seizes power at the expense of others.

Generalissimo is an account of the life and death of a fictional dictator, Miguel Angel. The opera takes place in the afterlife, with Miguel Angel trying to figure out where he is and how he died. The nagging question is: Was he a charismatic hero or a murdering tyrant? Through the reconstruction of Miguel Angel’s personal and political relationships, we see the history of his life and his country and how they mirror each other.

Growing up in Venezuela, it is impossible to not have heard of all of the dictators from our past, and to witness the modern-day president’s ever-growing ambitions while the foundations of democracy continue to progressively erode. I wanted to explore absolute power through music. How do these men do what they do? What drives them? What’s at the heart of it all?

Authoritarian regimes continue to be a reality in Latin America and in many places all over the world. Following on the tradition of operas that tackle the political issues of their day head on, Generalissimo will put a Latin American dictator front-and-center.