El Niño: Nativity Reconsidered An American Modern Opera Company Production

El Niño: Nativity Reconsidered is a nativity opera-oratorio that was first performed at The Met Cloisters in 2018 in the beautiful San Martín at Fuentidueña chapel. The New York Times called it “intimate, affecting and quietly rich with activism.” The piece, which celebrates Latin American poets and the voices of women, focuses on Mary’s thoughts through the early life of Jesus with texts drawn from the Bible and a myriad of other sacred and secular texts reimagined in this chamber format to hear this story like never before.

The cast of this Christmas oratorio features soprano Julia Bullock, guest artists mezzo-soprano Jasmin White, countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, and bass-baritone Davóne Tines. This special performance, features a chamber orchestra and will be conducted by rising star Christian Reif, and sung in English, Spanish, and Latin.

A rarely performed work, El Niño “ruminates on the notion that with the promise of new life, there is the equal threat of inexplicable violence and sacrifice,” said Bullock, “one of opera’s fastest-rising stars” (Vanity Fair), who curated the selections being performed.

“El Nino is one of my favorite pieces of music,” said Ms. Bullock. “It’s one of John and Peter’s greatest collaborations and explores the central themes of the nativity – miracles, the unique relationship between mother and child, and gift giving. The reason to develop this distilled rendering of El Niño with John’s and Peter’s blessing was to enable more people to experience this extraordinary work.