SHOOT! is a one-act operatic monodrama that explores the intersection of personal narrative, Venezuelan national history, and artistic experimentation. At its core, it delves into the complexities of state-sponsored violence in Venezuela, examining its human toll and spiritual echoes. Additionally, it confronts the systems that shape our identities, conflicting as they might be.

The opera follows the journey of a young soldier of the Venezuelan National Guard, who is tasked with opening fire on peaceful protesters. As the narrative unfolds, we witness their internal struggle between duty and morality, between survival and spiritual awakening. The soldier is guided by two manifestations: La Reina, the Goddess María Lionza, who embodies Venezuelan folk spirituality, and the Mirror Self, a spectral reflection of the soldier as well as their victim. These guides challenge the soldier’s sense of agency, morality, and ultimately their intersectional identity.

Watch the SHOOT! teaser!

I was raised in Caracas, where images of María Lionza were ubiquitous—in homes, on the streets, and on the radio. However, as a child raised in a Catholic household, I was taught to perceive her presence primarily as folklore rather than faith. Over time, I came to recognize her as a far more profound entity: a cultural force, a protector, and a bridge between tradition and rebellion. In 2022, with the support of the University of Michigan Center for World Performance Studies, I returned to Venezuela eight years after my initial relocation to the United States to conduct fieldwork, interviewing devotees of María Lionza, and conducting documentary research at various libraries in Caracas. What I discovered was a spiritual ecosystem that underscored a deep perceptual divide in people’s attitude towards La Reina, her followers, and their practices. The most pivotal moment during my time in Venezuela was my realization that members of the military and police—those ostensibly upholding the state—very often seek protection from the Goddess herself.

This internal conflict became the central theme of SHOOT!, an opera that explores the paradox of an oppressor and an oppressed individual sharing the same physical form and identity. The opera deliberately stages this collapse, with the soldier and the Mirror Self portrayed by performers of matching physicality, trapped in a perpetual blurring of identities. María Lionza does not resolve this tension; instead, she illuminates it.

Musically, SHOOT! draws from Venezuelan folk traditions, particularly the Tonada, a genre of work songs popularized by Simón Díaz. The opera integrates these idioms into a contemporary sonic tapestry that incorporates live electronic signal processing and fixed media elements. The libretto draws inspiration from texts by Andrés Eloy Blanco, including the love letters of Simón Bolívar and Manuela Sáenz, and my own writings. My intention was not merely to narrate violence but to create space for reflection, particularly for audiences who have experienced or been shaped by systemic oppression.

The video projections design for SHOOT! employs generative AI tools such as Stable Diffusion and Deforum, which I accessed through the Great Lakes Slurm HPC Cluster at the University of Michigan, as well as other commercially available models and sevices. These projections are not decorative but serve as an extension of the narrative and spiritual landscape. I generated symbolic imagery, such as a pelvis-shaped tree branch, blue butterflies, and a haunting scroll of names of the victims of state-sponsored violence in Venezuela, to ground the audience in a world that is both real and mythical.

Importantly, this opera resists brandishing violence as spectacle. Every decision, from musical phrasing to stage and video design to the shape of silence, was made with intention, particularly for BIPOC audiences. Rather than shock, I pursued catharsis. Rather than accusation, I pursued what I call “uncomfortable neutrality”—a form of storytelling rooted in compassion for all we don’t know about a person, even when confronting perpetrators of violence.

The premiere of SHOOT! took place on April 11th, 2025, at the Duderstadt Video Studio at the University of Michigan—exactly 23 years after the Ávila Plan was enacted by President Hugo Chávez to suppress mass protests. This date, along with imagery from other pivotal events in Venezuelan history, anchors the opera in contemporary political context, underscoring the significance of the work.

This project would not have been possible without the invaluable assistance of my collaborators: Grey Grant, producer and director of the premiere performance of SHOOT!, Maria Paterno, who played the Goddess, Alexis Lamb, the Narrator, and Adri Freibel, The Mirror Self. Furthermore, I extend my sincere gratitude to the dedicated staff at the Duderstadt Video Studio, particularly Patterson McKinney, Jim Roll, Matt Girard, and Steve Eberle, for their unwavering support.

Additionally, I must acknowledge the numerous individuals in Venezuela who risked their safety to facilitate my research endeavors, and who must remain unnamed for this same reason. Lastly, I express my deepest appreciation to La Reina herself, for allowing me to know her and giving me the strength and guidance needed to share this story with you all.

Ultimately, SHOOT! serves as a means of bearing witness—to historical events, to grief, and to resilience. It is a ritual, a cry, and a reckoning. And it is my hope that audiences will emerge with a profound comprehension not only of Venezuela, but also of the delicate boundaries between silence and voice, victim and perpetrator, complicity and resistance.