Until May 25th, Madrid’s Teatro de la Zarzuela offers fourteen performances of perhaps its most famous zarzuela, La verbena de la Paloma, an absolute classic of the Spanish lyric genre, composed by Tomás Bretón and with libretto by Ricardo de la Vega.
Under the baton of maestro José Miguel Pérez-Sierra, the new musical director of the coliseum theatre, a large cast will include Antonio Comas, Borja Quiza, Milagros Martín, Carmen Romeu, Ana San Martín, Gerardo López, Gurutze Beitia and Rafa Castejón, among others.
La verbena de la Paloma had its world premiere at the now defunct Teatro de Apolo on 17 February 1894. From then until today, it has formed part of the Spanish lyrical tradition, of the repertoire best known and loved by the public. That’s why, among many other reasons, every new production of this title arouses such extraordinary expectation as the premiere of the staging that the Teatro de la Zarzuela will present in the next few days, with stage direction and choreography by Nuria Castejón.
The action of La verbena de la Paloma takes place on the hot festive night of 15 August, when locals and strangers alike celebrate the feast of the Virgen de la Paloma, and in which flirtations and jealousies are rife around every corner. In the sovereign glow of every square. Everything is theatricalised, perfectly musicalised in a dramaturgy that makes this short work one of the most valuable jewels of the lyrical repertoire of the misnamed “género chico”; it possesses the virtue that is inescapably linked to the great titles: it never ceases to surprise and always thrills. Tickets are almost sold out, so hurry!!!
