The world's first mariachi opera is getting its Oregon premiere this Sunday, free, outdoors, and in Hillsboro.

Opera in the Park will stage "Cruzar la Cara de la Luna" ("To Cross the Face of the Moon") at 6 p.m. Sunday, July 26, at Shute Park, 750 S.E. Eighth Ave.

The free, all-ages performance features a full orchestra, chorus, and seven soloists performing in both Spanish and English.

The production is a partnership between Opera in the Park Portland and Hillsboro Parks & Recreation, according to the Hillsboro News-Times.

It's part of the Showtime Concert Series, which has brought free summer concerts to Shute Park for more than 30 years.

A landmark work

Billed by Houston Grand Opera as the world's first mariachi opera, "Cruzar la Cara de la Luna" was commissioned in 2010 and written by José "Pepe" Martínez and Leonard Foglia.

Martínez served as music director of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán for nearly 40 years before his death in 2016.

The opera tells the story of three generations of the Velasquez family navigating migration, cultural identity, and generational divides.

It opens in present-day Texas, where an elderly Laurentino Velasquez reflects on the wife and child he left behind in Mexico after immigrating to the United States.

What sets the production apart is that the mariachi ensemble performs on stage alongside the singers rather than in a traditional orchestra pit. The opera typically runs 80 to 90 minutes with no intermission.

Who's behind it

Opera in the Park is led by Executive Director Ashley Clark and Artistic Director Nicholas Fox. Last year, more than 7,000 people gathered on camp chairs and picnic blankets at Peninsula Park in Portland for the organization's staging of "Carmen," OPB reported.

Clark and Fox discussed the upcoming Oregon premiere on OPB's "Think Out Loud" program on Thursday, July 24.

What to bring

Guests should bring their own chairs or blankets for seating. Before the performance, Hillsboro Parks & Recreation will host activities, and Mexican food vendors including Laury's Tacos, Super Tacos Ochoa, Rosas Churros, and Nieve Casera Villegas will be on site.

Upcoming community events

  • Sunday, July 26, 6 p.m. — "Cruzar la Cara de la Luna," Shute Park, 750 S.E. Eighth Ave. Free, all ages.
  • Sunday, Aug. 9, noon–6 p.m. — 20th annual Latino Community Festival, Hillsboro Ballpark, 4460 N.E. Century Blvd. Free.