Ezra Vancil and René Martinez turn jealousy into tragedy on “The Ballad of Carmalito”

“The Ballad of Carmalito,” by Ezra Vancil and René Martinez, is a darkly compelling story, a Latin-inspired murder ballad steeped in jealousy, betrayal, and revenge. The story spans Texas, El Paso, Santo Domingo, and the Mexican coast as a heartbroken man hunts the traveling musician he thinks stole the woman he loved. The tragedy is compounded when his revenge leads to the death of his former lover, and Carmalito is left heartbroken, with the narrator having to bear the full consequences of his actions.