González-Granados makes an electric debut

As Lina González-Granados made her way through the pit to the podium at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion last Saturday, the audience buzzed with an especially welcoming and animated applause. Appointed the Resident Conductor of the LA Opera last September, the evening was her debut appearance with the company, an opportunity to demonstrate the energy and presence she hopes to bring to the orchestra.

Opening the opera, the timpani tapped out the beginning of the ominous Prelude, foreshadowing a night of intrigue, violence and destruction. Director Simon Stone’s daring staging waited behind the curtain, relocating the opera from its ordinary 17th century setting to the modern-day Rust Belt. By all means, the evening would pose a true artistic challenge, but for the Colombian Maestro, a personal history of trailblazing and excellence in performance has made her well prepared.

González-Granados hails from Cali, Colombia, a city with a vibrant and diverse musical culture. Though coming from a family of doctors, the conductor immersed herself in the art form, singing in choirs and playing piano. 

“[Music] started as a great opportunity to make friends and to be able to be in touch with something that was a little bit bigger than myself,” González-Granados said.

Moving to the United States in 2010, González-Granados furthered her studies at the New England Conservatory and Boston University, refining her conducting at the graduate level under mentors like Charles Peltz and Bramwell Tovey. For the young musician, the transition from Colombia to the U.S. was difficult. 

“Trying to find the right crew that you identify with, in a place that has little to no one looking like you — it’s just hard,” González-Granados said.

In spite of the many challenges, González-Granados has quickly risen to become one of the most prolific young conductors in the field. She held the position of Conducting Fellow at the Seattle Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and she currently holds the Solti Conducting Apprenticeship at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She also regularly makes guest appearances with top orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. 

Now, at the LA Opera, she is the first Latina to hold the position of Resident Conductor at a major U.S. opera company. In a field so often dominated by older white men, González-Granados brings diversity, a representation of what classical music can and should be. For her, securing more positions for underrepresented groups in the field is of utmost importance. 

“The job is not done until we all have a space on the table, and we are equal stakeholders in this conversation,” she said. 

Naturally, with the anticipation surrounding González-Granados’ debut, pressure was high to deliver a powerful performance — an expectation not just met, but far exceeded. From start to finish, the company delivered a colorful interpretation, drawing out even the subtlest of nuances in Gaetano Donizetti’s score. The dazzling performance was complemented with  thought-provoking staging.

Stone’s take on “Lucia di Lammermoor” weaves themes of modern life into his Rust Belt setting, such as substance abuse, financial decrepitude and gaslighting. Set designer Lizzie Clachan’s scenery clusters the stage with fragments of the town, including a motel, a pharmacy and the multi-level house. As the stage revolves, new settings appear, creating a convincing, if somewhat disorienting, environment.

In addition to the innovative scenery, a steadicam follows Lucia (Amanda Woodbury) in real time during the opera, projecting a close-up profile of her actions above the stage. This detail allows the production to incorporate new elements into her character, furthering our engagement with Lucia and emphasizing the helplessness of her situation. 

The attention is entirely warranted: Woodbury is completely enthralling. Her vocal performance is powerful, filling the hall with an ample supply of coloratura. Her “mad scene” in Act III, accompanied by the rarely employed glass harmonica in the orchestra, was truly captivating. Woodbury’s acting and singing enthralled the audience, and Lucia’s downfall became personal.

The cast surrounding Woodbury was equally up to the task. Arturo Chacón-Cruz provided a moving Edgardo, Alexander Birch Elliott’s Enrico was a pleasure to despise and Anthony Ciaramitaro left me wishing his role as Arturo was larger. The chorus, featured most heavily in Act II, made meaningful contributions, both in the singing and acting departments. 

Although the culmination of the plot in Lucia’s “mad scene” certainly was thrilling, The Sextet ending Act II may be the high point of the opera. With orchestra, chorus and cast all working in tandem, González-Granados managed to align the company into an adrenaline-pumping performance.  

In the hands of Lina González-Granados and the LA Opera, “Lucia di Lammermoor” becomes indispensable, with tremendous modern-day relevance. González-Granados succeeds in leading a performance that expresses profound emotion, enhancing the cathartic effect of the opera. 

“Sometimes, you have an inescapable joy or incredible sadness that you are not even able to put into words, and then opera can do it for you,” she said.

Remaining performances for “Lucia di Lammermoor” are on Sept. 28, Oct. 2 and Oct. 9, with Liv Redpath taking over in the titular role. Student Rush tickets are available for $25 on the day of each performance.