Opera Columbus opened its 44th season with the Columbus premiere of Rappaccini’s Daughter (La hija de Rappaccini) at the Southern Theatre on September 19 and 21, 2025. The production marked only the second time in the company’s history that a full opera was performed in Spanish, following its sold-out production of Maria de Buenos Aires.

Composed in 1992 by Daniel Catan, the first Mexican composer to have an opera produced at the Metropolitan Opera, the work is based on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story. The opera tells the story of Beatriz, a young woman kept in her father’s poisonous garden, made both beautiful and deadly by his botanical experiments. Performed in Spanish with English and Spanish captions, the production united its cast with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

The performances took place during Hispanic Heritage Month. Audiences were invited to arrive early for a preshow experience inspired by the opera’s botanical themes, including loose-leaf tea blending and a signature bourbon bar. The production marked the Opera Columbus directing debut of Brandon Shaw McKnight from the CRANE Directing Fellowship program.

Source: https://www.operacolumbus.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Opera-Columbus-Rappaccinis-Daughter-Press-Release.docx