Opera enthusiasts and newcomers alike are in for a special pleasure as Virginia Opera’s production of Mexican composer Daniel Catán’s tragic-comedic ”Il Postino” (“The Postman”) arrives at the Center for the Arts.

Based in part on the 1994 Academy Award-winning film, “Il Postino” recalls the imagined life of exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda as he provides his long-suffering, love-struck postman, Mario, with poetic words to reveal his heart to the love of his dreams. As Neruda wrote, ”Love is so short, forgetting is so long.”

“Il Postino” is a universal tale about the bumpy road to finding love. It features a score with arias, duets, and music paying homage to Puccini. The music will be conducted by Adam Turner. The orchestra for this production is provided by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Crystal Manich directs “Il Postino,” the first of the Virginia Opera "From Screen to Stage" initiative.

“Many of the stories from the most beloved masterworks in the operatic canon come from literary sources,” noted Turner. “Recently I’ve noticed contemporary composers looking to cinema for inspiration. Importantly, a good story is what ultimately resonates with an audience, and some of today’s best stories can be found in the world of cinema.

“The music of ‘Il Postino’ is richly evocative of the language of love, poetic and passionate, rapturous and lyrical, full of beautiful melodies and the peaks and valleys of human emotion,” said Turner. Daniel Catán’s musical language is “creative orchestral textures, vivid word painting, accessible lyricism, a sense of ‘magical realism throughout the score.”

Turner added that Catan’s music composition is “the furthest thing from ‘scary modern music’ that you’ll ever encounter.”

For director Manich, “The blending of Pablo Neruda’s poetry with Catán’s sweeping music portray a journey of finding meaning and love. This is a much needed sentiment in our tumultuous world.

“Throughout ‘Il Postino,’ there are moments of heightened reality directly attached to Neruda’s poetry. These moments will be visually expressed through the use of projections, as if the characters are being transported to a higher realm where poetry exists,” added Manich.

Tenor Daniel Montenegro portrays the featured role of Mario, The Postman. “Catán is often compared to Puccini and I can see why. They both are melodic and possess beautiful sweeping lines.” But, Catán “has his own unique sound and style.”

“Il Postino,” a transporting musical journey to find the love of one’s life, awaits.

Where and When

Virginia Opera presents “Il Postino” at Center for the Arts, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. Performances on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019 at 2 p.m. Tickets: $110, $70, $40. Call 888-945-2468, or visit www.cfa.gmu.edu. Note: Sung in Spanish with English supertitles. A pre-performance discussion begins 45 minutes prior to the performance, located on Monson Grand Tier. Seating is limited and opens 15 minutes before the pre-performance discussion.