Nicolas Reveles died last month, but vowed to be there in spirit for the premiere of his opera triptych on Friday at the Balboa Theatre
Nicolas Reveles believed in ghosts — not just his opera triptych, “Ghosts,” which makes its world premiere with San Diego Opera on Friday, but also the spectral beings that bewitched him from early childhood.
Obituary: San Diego Opera’s longtime arts educator Nicolas Reveles praised for his passions, wit and kindness San Diego opera composer Nicolas Reveles was inspired by this painting of a spooky tree by his grandfather to write one of three short operas that make up the San Diego Opera triptych “Ghosts.”Reveles inherited his love for scary movies from his mother, Grace Larsen of Oceanside, who introduced him to the 1931 film classic “Frankenstein” when it made its television debut in the late 1950s. He was in grade school at the time.
But his fascination with the supernatural skyrocketed 31 years ago when he had his own encounter with a ghost. Conductor Bruce Stasyna, foreground left, and pianist Oxana Bulgakova at a rehearsal for San Diego Opera’s world premiere of “Ghosts,” a horror-themed opera triptych opening April 15.Reveles wrote the first of his six operas in 2005, the San Diego Opera-commissioned “The Sleeping Beauty” for children. Five years later he wrote “Sextet,” a queer opera that had a brief scene of horror.
The third part of the triptych, “Eden,” was created after San Diego Opera hired director-choreographer-librettist John de los Santos to direct “Ghosts.” De los Santos, who lives in New York, also had an encounter with the ghost of a woman while staying at the historic Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee, Ariz. That experience became the basis for a full-length 2021 opera he co-wrote with composer Clint Borzoni.
Stasyna said the score for each of the three operas in “Ghosts” is unique, but the orchestrations and use of percussion in the score have a commonality. There are elements of baroque, classical and Romantic styles, Latin rhythms, Russian influences and nods to the composers Béla Bartók and Alexander Scriabin. The musical ensemble will include a string quartet, clarinets, marimba, timpani and glockenspiel.
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