BiographyArmienta

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR HECTOR ARMIENTA

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BIOGRAPHY
Hector Armienta has received numerous awards and commissions, including those from: Meet the Composer
CA, the National Endowment for the Arts, Arts International, the Angeles, the San Francisco Arts Commission,
and the Oakland East Bay Symphony. Though
he has written several works for orchestra,
chorus, and voice, his passion lies in composing
musical theater and opera. Some of his works
for the stage include Un Camino De Fe/A
Journey of Faith, Los Coyotes y las Conejas/
The Coyotes and the Rabbits, River of Women/
Rio de Mujeres, and most recently the bilingual
musical drama, La Llorona/The Weeping Woman.
These works have been performed throughout
the country by organizations such as Opera
Pacific, Forth Worth Opera, Western Stage
Theater, and the Music Theater Collaborative.

Currently, he is developing his most ambitious project, a music theater trilogy Aguas Ancestrales/Ancient
Waters. The trilogy is based on and inspired by the life of his grandmother, Paula Lopez. The second
installment of that trilogy, River of Women/Rio De Mujeres has had three productions so far. Llorona/The
Weeping Woman – A Musical Drama, part one of the trilogy, received its world premiere in October 2008 at
Western Stage Theater. The production received a 2007 National Endowment for the Arts Access to Artistic
Excellence grant in musical theater. Mr. Armienta served as playwright, composer, and lyricist. He is now
embarking on completing the final installment, La Muerte/Death - a full length opera.

As an artist, a Mexican American, and arts advocate, he focuses on creating work that reflects his
many interests and passions:

To create opera and music theater that is about the Latino experience
To compose musical theater
To contribute to the political discourse on issues that address the needs of the arts and
arts education on a local and/or regional level.
Provide young people an opportunity to connect to the performing arts

Mr. Armienta is also founder of Opera Cultura (www.operacultura.com). He holds a bachelor of music degree
from California Institute of the Arts and under the tutelage of Maestro Conrad Susa, received a Masters in
Music Composition at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Upcoming projects include a full length opera - La Muerte/Death, a new musical - The Geriatric Follies, and a
new cd of his most popular piano music.

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Hector Armienta -
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