Second Act: Soprano returns to Santa Fe Opera in "Don Giovanni"

Soprano Teresa Perrotta grew up in Orlando wanting to be the next Britney Spears. Her singing debut came in the fourth grade when she played Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz.”

On Saturday (June 28), she’ll take on the role of Donna Anna in “Don Giovanni.” Perrotta made her Santa Fe Opera debut as Alice Ford in "Falstaff" in 2022.

Premiered in Prague in 1787, the opera is based on the legend of Don Juan, a notorious womanizer who eventually meets his comeuppance. The story explores themes of love, morality, and the consequences of one’s actions.

Perrota was an SFO apprentice in 2021 and 2022.

Don Giovanni is a lecherous nobleman who kills Donna Anna’s father. He may or may not have raped Donna Anna.

“You don’t know if she’s assaulted or not,” Perrotta said. “She says, ‘If you don’t kill me, I’ll come after you.’ Her vengeance drives the whole opera.

“You see all the stages of grief,” Perrotta continued. “She’s angry, she’s heartbroken. She’s like, now it’s war.”

Mozart’s score runs nearly three hours. The opera is a work of slippery psychology, frank humanity and crucially, crystalline construction that punishes any mistake onstage or in the orchestra pit.

“This is by far the hardest role I’ve ever sung,” Perrotta said. “It’s very demanding of the soprano, but it’s beautiful music. It is so rewarding to sing.”

Perrotta says Santa Fe changed her life.

“So many people come to the shows in the industry,” she said. “So they got to see me perform. They also do an industry audition. Almost all of my performances have some connection to the Santa Fe Opera. It’s just incredible. I feel so honored to be in a cast with so many amazing people.”

She grew up wanting to be a dancer, then joined the school choir and advancing to voice lessons.

She began watching operas on You Tube.

“I loved how virtuosic it is,” she said. “I liked that it was all about the voice.”

At the University of Florida, Perrotta applied for a musical program in Rome. She sang a small role in Puccini’s “Suor Angelica.” She advanced to the Eastman School of Music and hasn’t looked back since.

She was the 2023 Grand Finals Winner of The Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition.

Stephen Barlow will direct this new production of “Don Giovanni” set in Victorian London viewed through the lens of Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” This comedy infused with darkness features Ryan Speedo Green in his role debut as Don Giovanni.

When Santa Fe’s season ends, Perrotta will head to Opera Omaha to repeat her role as Donna Anna. Then she moves to a larger stage.

“I’m making my Met debut as first lady in ‘The Magic Flute,’ ” she said. “I think after I went to Rome, I couldn’t imagine my life without opera,” she said. “I fell more and more in love with this art form.”