SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Oct. 10 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Tenerife Auditorium opens the 2022-2023 opera season with ‘Fuenteovejuna’, based on the Spanish Golden Age classic by Lope de Vega, and whose performances will take place in the Symphony Hall on 18, 20 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. hours.
The details of this production were released this Monday by the Minister of Culture of the Cabildo, Enrique Arriaga; the composer of the opera, Jorge Muñiz; the musical director, Santiago Serrate, and the director of the stage revival, Raúl Vázquez.
Enrique Arriaga recalled that “the composer Jorge Muñiz received a commission not so long ago from the Fundación Ópera de Oviedo to adapt ‘Fuenteovejuna’ to the opera on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the creation of the work by Lope de Vega, one of the works teachers of the Spanish Golden Age”.
The absolute premiere of this adaptation with a libretto by Javier Almuzara was in Asturias in 2018 and “the Auditorio de Tenerife will be the second venue that offers the representation of this contemporary work with a very current theme”.
Arriaga acknowledged that they are “delighted” to open the Ópera de Tenerife season with this contemporary bet that follows the line set out since last year to be able to reach everyone, “opera experts, young people and those not so worked in the lyric”.
The Tenerife Symphony Orchestra and the solo singers are joined by the Ópera de Tenerife-Intermezzo Titular Choir and figuration, “which promises great success on stage,” announced the director.
Composer Jorge Muñiz –winner of the European Grand Prize for Young Composers– explained that programming a new work in opera seasons is what contemporary creators aspire to in order to communicate.
“Fuenteovejuna belongs to Lope de Vega, but his language is updated by the librettist Javier Almuzara and I hope he speaks directly to them,” he said.
As for the music, Muñiz stressed that “they will listen to hip hop, funk, merengue and even a bolero during the work, but they also talk about tradition and they will recognize characters that are molded in the manner of Mozart’s operas in a humble tribute”.
At the head of the Tenerife Symphony will be Santiago Serrate as musical director.
“It is the first time that I conduct this orchestra, which I have known for a long time, and I have to say that it is a luxury and we are going to arrive at this premiere with great naturalness”, explained the maestro.
For Serrate, “Ópera de Tenerife is a star that shines a lot on the world scene and what makes it different is its programming: opening the season with a contemporary opera from four years ago says a lot about the Auditorium”.
“The Todos a una, Fuenteovejuna of this work is very topical because in the pandemic we saw that if we did not go together we could overcome it and the same is going to happen with the war,” explains the teacher, who assures that direct music will be heard “that will reach the heart”.
“Our work is not entertainment, culture educates, forms, and this opera raises some very pertinent questions,” said the musician.
The stage direction bears the signature of Miguel del Arco, National Theater Award 2017, and, for the performances in Tenerife, Raúl Vázquez will direct the stage replacement.
“IT WILL NOT LEAVE ANYBODY INDIFFERENT”
“I feel at Ópera de Tenerife as my second home and I am delighted to return on this occasion with a very demanding stage direction created by Del Arco, both on stage and musically,” said Vázquez, who added that he hoped that the public ” do not miss the opportunity to see this work in lyrical format because it will not leave you indifferent and all the work and effort will be noticed in this total show”.
The set design is a work by Paco Azorín, while the costumes have been designed by Sandra Espinosa and the lighting direction that can be enjoyed in the Symphony Hall is by Juanjo Llorens.
As for the cast, the soprano María Miró will be Laurencia, the daughter of the mayor of ‘Fuenteovejuna’ and her lover, Frondoso, will be played by the tenor Antonio Gandía.
The bass Felipe Bou will embody the municipal alderman, while the baritone Damián del Castillo will become the ruthless commander Fernán Gómez. His assistant, Flores, will be voiced by the bass-baritone Fernando Latorre.
The roles of the villagers Mengo, Pascuala and Jacinta will be performed by the tenor David Astorga, the soprano Isabella Gaudí and the mezzo-soprano Belén Elvira, respectively. The tenor Juan Noval-Moro will act as a judge who will pass sentence on this town. The voices of the soloists are joined by another thirty members of the Coro Titular Ópera de Tenerife-Intermezzo.
The subscription period for ‘Ópera de Tenerife’ is open until October 17, which includes five of the season’s seven titles (Fuenteovejuna, Un ballo in maschera, Nancy Fabiola and her guests, Der Zwerg and Tannhäuser).
The subscription price is from 100 euros, which is more advantageous for members of a large family (-30%) and the offer is maintained for young people under 30 years of age, who can enjoy the five productions -all of them, except the chamber opera and family opera– for 20 euros, that is, four euros per title.
