Opera Southwest will present “The Farolitos of Christmas” this December.

From Dec. 7 – 14, 2025, the opera by Héctor Armienta will take the stage at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. The work is based on Rudolfo Anaya’s children’s book and set in a small New Mexico community. It centers on Luz, whose father is away at war and whose grandfather is too ill to build the traditional luminarias. With the help of her friend Reina, Luz finds a new way to light the path on Christmas Eve—creating a tradition that endures through generations.

The opera will be directed by John de los Santos, and the cast includes Ash Hurtado as Luz, Valeria Texeira as Reina, Christina Martos as Belinda, Cristina Sanchez as Dolores, Carlos Archuleta as Abuelo, and Angel Vargas as Papa. Anthony Barrese conducts.

The Dec. 7 and 14 showcases commence at 4 p.m., with the Dec. 12 showcase set for a 6:30 start time. On Dec. 13, there will be two shows, with one starting at 2 p.m. and another at 6 p.m. local time.

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