Albuquerque, NM – In collaboration with Opera Southwest, the National Hispanic Cultural Center is proud to present an opera based on the remarkable life of labor icon and New Mexico native Dolores Huerta. Dolores takes the stage starting Sunday, Oct. 26.
“This play goes to the core of our pride as New Mexicans and gente, Dolores is an icon for standing together with all people demanding dignity and access to justice,” said National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) Executive Director Zack Quintero. “This production also showcases New Mexicans at its center, as the writer, the inspiration, and director all hail from the Land of Enchantment. The NHCC has been and will continue to be a home for shared celebration of our cultura and history.”
Dolores tells the story of one of the most influential labor activists of the 20th century. Born in Dawson, New Mexico in 1930, Dolores Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers’ Union (UFW) with César Chávez. In the 1960s, she helped organize the Delano strike of 5,000 grape workers and was the lead negotiator in the workers’ contract that followed. Huerta, alongside Chávez and Larry Itliong, helped shape the labor movement into an enduring force. Her tireless work built a union from dust and unwavering conviction, amplifying the voices of farmworkers and bringing their struggles to the attention of presidents while never losing sight of the people in the fields. Huerta received the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award in 1998 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.
The opera takes place in 1968, a pivotal year in American history and the third year of the Delano grape strike. Dolores tells the story of farmworkers in California rising to build a unified movement that transcends racial and linguistic barriers. Amidst the political whirlwinds of Bobby Kennedy’s presidential campaign and Richard Nixon’s disciplined rhetoric, Huerta becomes the heart of the movement, juggling her work of organizing with the tender routine of calling home to her children.
Dolores is not merely a historical account: it floats between reality and imagination, weaving memory with nightmare. The music, composed by New Mexico native Nicolás Lell Benavides, and the libretto by Marella Martin Koch create a fragile yet feverish tapestry of history. Sacred chants, electric guitar riffs, and bossa nova rhythms come together in a striking musical evolution that vividly echoes the complexities of Huerta’s journey.
NHCC is fortunate to have deep ties to Dolores Huerta, serving as a host and starting point for the annual César Chávez and Dolores Huerta March and Celebration each spring, organized by the Recuerda a César Chávez Committee. The Center is proud to be the first venue outside of California to host a performance of Dolores on its national circuit.
Performances will take place at the Center’s Albuquerque Journal Theatre on Sunday, October 26 at 2:00 p.m.; Friday, October 31 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, November 2 at 2:00 p.m. Learn more and get tickets today at nhccnm.org/events.
More about the National Hispanic Cultural Center The National Hispanic Cultural Center is dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and advancement of Hispanic culture, arts, and humanities. The NHCC presents mission-related events throughout the year, some produced by its history, literary, performing, and visual arts programs, and others by partnering with external organizations. Events take place at its 20-plus-acre campus, which includes a plaza, an art museum, a historically designated building, a library, and a genealogy center. The NHCC is a division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and is further supported by the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation.