Opera

De Falla's La Vida breve

Giancarlo del Monaco (stage director), Lorin Maazel (conductor) – Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia

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Cast

Jesus Ruiz — Costume designer

Goyo Montero — Choreographer

Wolfgang Von Zoubeck — Lighting

Giancarlo del Monaco — Stage director, set designer

Cristina Gallardo-Domâs — Salud

María Luisa Corbacho — Grandmother

Sandra Ferrández — Carmela

Jorge de León — Paco

Felipe Bou — Uncle Sarvaor

Isaac Galan — Manuel

Juan Carlos Gómez Pastor — Guitarist

Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana

Lorin Maazel — Conductor

Program notes

La vida breve, an Andalusian opera in two acts written by Manuel de Falla on a libretto by Carlos Fernández Shaw, staged by Giancarlo del Monaco at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, in Valencia.

It is without any doubts one of the greatest operas written in Spanish, La vida breve merges with Spanish Zarzuelas, lyric genre of the 17th century. The opera tells the story of a poor gypsy, Salud, and her lover, Paco, secretly engaged to a rich young woman. Shattered by such lies, Salud decided to go to the wedding ceremony.

This verismo opera combines different styles, from the Spanish drama and its flamenco to the classical drama reminding us of Puccini's writting and wagner's orchestration. Andalusian songs remain the most significant influence of the work.

This Giancarlo del Monaco production offers an incredible casting, with Chilean Soprano Cristina Gallardo-Domâs, specialist of Puccini's work and known for her remarkable impersonation of Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly. Not only is she greatly influenced by Puccini but her flamenco singing is also marvellous. Tenor Jorge de León plays Paco, with is powerful voice and charisma

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