After 85 years, the opera La Dolores, by Maestro Tomás Bretón, returns to the Teatro de la Zarzuela today until 12 February. An impressive theatrical, scenic and musical spectacle in which the theatre, musical direction (by Guillermo García Calvo), and stage direction (by Amelia Ochandiano), have spared no effort to offer the public the grandeur of this Spanish opera.
The importance of this work lies not only in the drama of its plot or its brilliant score, but also in the fact that with this work Tomás Bretón (whose centenary is being commemorated this year) finally manages to compose a purely Spanish opera.
The more than attractive cast undoubtedly includes some of the leading voices of our opera: Saioa Hernández – who made history by being the first Spanish soprano to open the legendary opera season at La Scala in Milan – Carmen Solís, Jorge de León, Javier Palacios, José Antonio López, Ángel Ódena, María Luisa Corbacho, Milagros Martín and Rubén Amoretti.
La Dolores tells how she, Dolores, fights for the restitution of her good name and honour, and the attempt to take revenge on a despicable being, eaten up by jealousy and wounded in his pride, of considering himself the strongest in the village. There are many in the village who sigh for the innkeeper’s love. Patricio, the rich landowner. Lázaro, the young orphan whose parents, when they died, destined him for the priesthood, whose vocation is cared for by his godmother, Gaspara, the owner of the inn. Melchor, the barber who invented the copla, and even the beggar Celemín. She will only be Lazaro’s, when circumstances make it advisable. But circumstances will not advise it when he kills Melchor, when he catches him trying to abuse Dolores, in the final scene. Tickets can be purchased at this link.
