SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Santa Clarita Valley’s Mission Opera will close out their season with a presentation of Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Tosca” at the Canyon High School Performing Arts Center. Mvskoke citizen Kirsten C. Kunkle is set to take the stage on June 13 with an all Indigenous leading cast for the evening performances.
Kunkle, noted Soprano, graces audiences in her debut performance of the titular Floria Tosca. This is a return to Mission for Kunkle who previously held the West Coast Premiere of her opera “Girondines” in 2023.
Joining her is Hugo Vera (Tiwa) in the role of Tosca’s lover, Mario Cavaradossi. Gabriel Manro (Chickasaw) rounds out the cast as the diabolical, corrupt Baron Scarpia. The production is directed by Latina screenwriter, author, and producer Justine Prado Manro. This production marks one of the first all Indigenous principal casts in an American opera company.
“We were actually supposed to be in different casts and Gabriel had this idea that ‘hey wouldn’t it be very cool to have all the Native singers in one cast’ so they switched us around and now we’re all in the same cast. Gabriel took that next step further to say I think this is a great idea. Let’s put this in the forefront.”
That representation is important, says Kunkle.
“I think that’s really exciting that we’re showing depth and different sides of who we are while also being true to our heritage. Everything we do as Indigenous people is inherently Native because that’s who we are.”
“It’s more about how we approach the overall experience,” continues Kunkle. “And I think that that is something that is becoming more aware to the greater public mainstream. I’m hoping that the works that we’re doing, one of the most famous Italian operas of all time, with three Indigenous singers and our Indigenous director, is something that we haven’t really been able to do until fairly recently, where the mainstream public has started to embrace it a little bit.”
Due to its complexity “Tosca” features 2 casts. It runs from June 13 – June 15 with evening performances featuring Kunkle, Vera, and Manro. “Tosca” will be staged at Canyon High School Performing Arts Center, 19300 Nadal St., Santa Clarita, CA. Tickets are available at the Mission Opera site.