From Friday until January 4, the Plaza del Cabildo will transform into Brillantia, a horseshoe-shaped festive village filled with elves who keep watch over Idaira, the brightest star in the sky. Within their homes, visitors can savour crafts, sweets, nougat, floral arrangements, the Mailbox Forest, and the Wish Forest, structures designed like fir trees for the placement of messages and desires. All this and much more falls under the title of Christmas Illusions, a distinctive international spectacle supported by the Cabildo and produced by the Encaro Factory company.
Everything is innovative: projections and special effects that will convert the façade of the Cabildo into a dynamic and immersive artwork; the utilisation of state-of-the-art mapping technologies; a festive musical narrative with an original score, lyrics, and music composed specifically for this event. This creation stems from Canarian talent. “From the very beginning, we were adamant that we needed to tap into the creativity and expertise of the professionals on the island,” emphasised Encaro Factory director and show creator, Enrique Camacho.
Alongside him are Francis Hernández (composition and musical direction), Pablo Cebrián (composition and musical production), Conchita and Alejandro Martínez (songs), Juanjo Beloqui (lighting design and video production), Nareme Melián (illustrations), Leo Martínez (costume design), Antonio Díaz and Miguel González (video production), Carlos Santos Cabrera (scenography), Eduardo Moreno (technical direction), and Ángel Verde (technical production)… around a hundred professionals from 12 companies, primarily based in the Canary Islands, who are making Christmas Illusions a reality, featuring singers Julia Debis and Chago Melián as Dácil and the Magic Watchmaker.
Julia Debis (left) and Conchita. | A. GUTIERREZ
“We have created a musical that will be projected onto the façade of the Cabildo using video mapping techniques typically seen in major European capitals. Performance times are set for 7:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m. (coinciding with the chimes from the Insular Palace clock) and 8:45 p.m., with the exception of December 24 and 31,” clarified Enrique Camacho. In this regard, Christmas Illusions follows in the footsteps of esteemed international productions such as Vivid Sydney in Australia, the Mutek International Visual Mapping Festival in Canada, or the Festival of Lights in Berlin.
Rosa Dávila, president of the Cabildo, described an event as “unparalleled in the Canary Islands that will elevate Tenerife to the stature of the world’s great cultural capitals, and it is designed with families in mind.” Christmas Illusions is that “somewhat unconventional” notion envisioned as a one-of-a-kind artistic creation that merges technology, art, and music. All of this has been crafted with families and young children in mind, unfolding a narrative that takes place in this uniquely atmospheric space on the Island.
An actress outfitted as one of the characters in the show. | A. GUTIERREZ
Christmas Illusions features A Dream of Illusion, which narrates the tale of a curious and imaginative girl, Dácil, who seeks the assistance of a magical watchmaker discovered in an ancient book in her attic, aiming to make a heartfelt wish: to restore lost hope in the hearts of people. A narrative where music plays a pivotal role.
The singer and composer Conchita, along with Alejandro Martínez, crafted four songs for “a grand production” that she is eager to see brought to life on the façade of the Cabildo, with the soundtrack being expertly developed by Francis Hernández, musical director and arranger, who constructed a score that “echoes the spirit of a Christmas musical right from the outset,” remarked the artist. “Magic, illusion, a hint of epic moments, and most importantly, emotions” are what Hernández aimed to achieve in his composition, who appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with Julia Debis, who performs all four songs.
Not only will the Christmas tradition be showcased, but visitors to the Mailbox Forest will also discover a place to send their letters of wishes to the Three Wise Men, La Befana (Italy), Tomte (Norway and Sweden), Babushka (Russia), Baby Jesus (Central Europe and South America), and Saint Nicholas (Poland, the Netherlands, and Ukraine), as well as messages to the Grinch and the coal distributors of the Three Wise Men. Yesterday, a group of schoolchildren provided the grand finale for the presentation by attempting to catch snowflakes in a delightful conclusion to an eagerly anticipated project: Christmas Illusions.
