The Spanish-language opera, by composer Daniel Catšn with a libretto by Eliseo Alberto and Francisco Hinojosa, tells the story of a wedding day interrupted when the Caribbean island of Salsipuedes declares war on Nazi Germany. The two bridegrooms, Ulises and Chucho, who sing in a band, are called from their new wives by the dictator General Garc‹a to sing the national anthem at a ship's sendoff, but the ship mistakenly sets sail with the men aboard.

The cast includes Ana Maria Martinez as Lucero, Zheng Cao as Magali, Chad Shelton as Ulises, and Scott Hendricks as Chucho.

Salsipuedes the first of two world premieres presented by the HGO this season, will be performed six times through November 14. The company's other world premiere, Mark Adamo's Lysistrata, or the Nude Goddess, opens in March 2005.