Monday 4 June 2012

2012-05-26 My suitcase and the other Chulapona

Friday 25th was a success except for my missing suitcase. I loved Chulapona with Milagros Martin as Manuela. It was great. But I had not eaten much and I had an head-ache. How different it was from 1989 in Edinburgh! Now I sat in Row 6 with an excellent view and I had the chance to learn about the zarzuela before seeing it. The DVD from the 1988, which is when this production opened had Milagros Martin, Carmen Gonzalez and Ricardo Muñiz as the protagonists and on Friday I had the same women singing, but in 1989 I had the same tenor.

For Saturday I had some ideas, mostly getting more real food and I had a growing ambition about my suitcase. Friday I had called Swissport to hear that my suitcase was coming in 30 minutes (so approx 1930 it was to land), but I had an appointment to Teatro de la Zarzuela for LA CHULAPONA at 2000. This time I also tried to call, but nobody took the phone. I used the internet to find out more. Yes it was on two Lufthansa flights via Frankfurt (I was told) and the date was 25.5.2012 so why was it not at my hotel with me. I cared even more because on Sunday I was going to Bilbao. So naturally I went to the Barajas airport with the airport bus. First I chose the wrong terminal, terminal 4. So I had to take the terminal bus to another terminal. I used the internet which said terminal 2 so I went there. But it was wrong Terminal 1 was the correct one. But one can walk from Terminal 2 to 1, I got tired. Even more tired was I from asking and trying to find an office. Then in the end it was the same place where I had queued yesterday. I had to wait until someone to walk out to get in. The strange thing was people acted like it was normal to go into a place that says one is not supposed to re-enter. Then finally a woman came. And it was ok, my suitcase should come between 1400 and 1900. So it was to take the airport bus back to Station Atocha. Then walk to my hotel. 1700 it came. I was happy, except that I was too tired to be really Happy.

It did not change anything except now I had everything. But also pain in abdomen. Pain during the zarzuela. Yesterday I was able to applaud enthusiastically but today the pain had me bent down and I could only a few times find the power to applaud but it was a really wonderful musical evening.


2012-05-26 La Chulapona (Moreno Torroba), Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid)

Manuela = Cristina Faus
Rosario = Susana Cordón
José María = Antonio Gandía
Juan de Dios = Carlos Crooke
Señor Antonio =Luis Alvarez
Doña Venustiana = Charo Reina
El Chalina = Jesus Castejón
Don Epifanio = Gerardo Malla
Emilia = Raquel Torres
Organillero = Jesus Alcaide
Lolita = Ana Santamaria
Ascensión = Isabel Gonzalez
Concha = Ada Rodriguez
Ist Guard = Keni Roldan
2nd Guard = Abel Garcia
Manolito = Neric Forcada / Raul Ruiz / Pedro de la Torre
Chico de la taberna = José Varela
Cantaora = Eva Duran
Ganadero = Saturnino Garcia
Maestro Cansino = Juan Rueda
Maravilla = Maria Briones
Guadalupe = Sagrario Mielgo
Engargado de Café  = Juan Luis Cobo
Durmiente = Jesus Landin
Plachandoras = Rosa Maria Gutierrez, Carmen Gaviria, Paloma Curros
Zapatero = Carlos Duran
Hojolatero = Pedro Azpiri
Cliente = Gustavo Berliete
Voz Interna = Paloma Suarez
Giutarrista = José Maria Molero
Invitado = Ignacio Del Castillo


Dirección musical: Miquel Ortega

Dirección de escena: Gerardo Malla
Escenografía y figurines: Mario Bernedo
Coreografía: Goyo Montero
Iluminación: Eric Teunis


Yesterday was veterans showing how to sing and act, today was the young and coming up showing their colors. Another Manuela, Rosario and Jose Maria. But still great singing and acting. I was so used to a blond Rosario than I almost missed Susana Cordons entrance. This was another Rosario, but it was hard to tell in which way she differed from Carmen Gonzalez. The young Rosario was not so ironic and seemed softer. Cristina Faus was todays Manuela. Younger voice, and amazing but still I must say Milagros Martin could still be someone that Cristina Faus should look after in order to be even better. Antonio Gandia as Jose Maria was also wonderful.

The whole experience of what a zarzuela is made me think it more like a musical than simply operetta. It is vocally demanding like an opera, expects dancing skills more like in a musical. How I wish I understood Spanish! The dialogue is demanding and singing superb in a zarzuela. It is stylistic and naturalistic in combination. LOVED IT...

For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com

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