---
title: A ‘Proud’ Debut on an Illustrious NYC Stage for Maryland Opera Studio
date: 2024-09-13T05:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/a-proud-debut-on-an-illustrious-nyc-stage-for-maryland-opera-studio"
section: Articles
---
# A ‘Proud’ Debut on an Illustrious NYC Stage for Maryland Opera Studio

*September 13, 2024* — by [Sala Levin ’10](/author/sala-levin-10)


> At Theater That Premiered ‘Hamilton,’ Student Singers Tell Story of Controversial Mexican Leader

*Orgullo cross the Rio Grande for 1920x1080 — Chris Alfonso M.M. '25 (center) plays the controversial Mexican leader known as Santa Anna in "Orgullo!", an opera commissioned for the Maryland Opera Studio that will make its New York City debut this weekend, at the renowned Public Theater.*

The life of Antonio López de Santa Anna, the infamous Mexican leader and military general commonly known as Santa Anna, could be described as operatic. He shifted allegiances regularly, held the presidency 11 times, presided over the loss of Texas to the United States and led a disastrous effort to get it back, staged a state funeral for his amputated leg, was exiled to Staten Island and, somewhere along the way, helped invent [chewing gum](https://www.eater.com/22993171/general-antonio-lopez-de-santa-anna-accidentally-created-chewing-gum-gastropod).

The University of Maryland School of Music’s [Maryland Opera Studio](https://music.umd.edu/ensembles/maryland-opera-studio) (MOS) is bringing the story of Santa Anna to musical life with *“*[*Orgullo!*](https://publictheater.org/productions/joes-pub/2024/o/orgullo/)*,*” a commissioned opera that debuted in College Park in February. On Sunday, the students of MOS will take the production to a bigger stage, with two performances at New York City’s Public Theater, the prestigious off-Broadway venue where iconic shows like “Hair,” “A Chorus Line” and “Hamilton” opened.


*UMD School of Music/Maryland Opera Studio "Orgullo" poster*



**Sidebar note:**

Sunday’s 8:30 p.m. performance of “Orgullo!” at the Public Theater will be available on [livestream](https://youtube.com/live/KZbMHOKdP8U).





**Topics:** [Arts & Culture](https://today.umd.edu/tags/arts-culture)


**Tags:** [Music](https://today.umd.edu/topic/music), [Hispanic Heritage Month](https://today.umd.edu/topic/hispanic-heritage-month), [Student Experience](https://today.umd.edu/topic/student-experience), [Arts](https://today.umd.edu/topic/arts)


**Units:** [College of Arts and Humanities](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-arts-and-humanities)