Behold the Man Opera

In an attempt to save a forgotten and sadly deteriorated fresco of Jesus in her local church, an elderly woman in Borja, Spain, tries her hand at its restoration, only to make matters worse. Outrage is rampant and threats are made. Even the ghost of the original artist gets into the act.

“One could argue that what Giménez did to frescoes, Flack and Fowler do for opera—not botching it, but bringing an old and oft-deemed archaic mode of artistic expression into contemporary relevance.”—Priscilla Frank, Huffington Post

Swept up on social media and elevated to the status of “internet sensation,” memes of her botched work drew tourists from around the world, helping reconstitute her reputation while revitalizing the economy of the struggling town.

Based on a true story, “Behold The Man” had its professional world premiere at Opera Las Vegas in September 2023. The reviews were though the roof!

“For me personally, I have never been to an opera where I felt the joy and excitement buzzing around me in this way. It was like a live wire generating a feel good buzz the entire time.” Jennifer Pyron, OperaWire

On the heels of that success, composer Paul Fowler and librettist Andrew Flack have been invited to present selections of the work at the National Opera Association’s yearly conference at Arizona State University in January, 2024.

“Composer Paul Fowler is a modern musical mastermind.” Jennifer Pyron, OperaWire

At the conference’s “New Works Expo,”—a gathering of 25 of the industry’s top new titles primed for production—the Spanish-language twin sister of “Behold The Man,” “La Ópera de Cecilia,” will be up for consideration of its world premiere.

“This new opera is meant to be shared and heard by everyone, everywhere. Whether in its English or Spanish version, Cecilia Giménez’s story is a timeless tale.” Jennifer Pyron, OperaWire

For further information, visit https://beholdthemanopera.com/