TOT Cabaret: Viva La Zarzuela: Tonatiuh Abrego, ten. (Juan Luis); Lucia Santilly, sop. (Raquel); Alexander Cappellazzo, ten. (Rodrigo); Dianna di Mauro, sop. (Raquel); Stuart Graham, bar. (don Diego)) / Toronto Operetta Theatre; Kate Carver, conductor; Guillermo Silva-Marín, stage director and English adaptation / St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Might 5, 2024.
This Sunday, Might 5, Toronto Operetta Theatre (TOT) ended its 2023-2024 season with a worthy efficiency of the Spanish zarzuela El huésped del sevillano / The Visitor on the Inn.
The viewers, which was barely 1 / 4 full, applauded the assorted musical numbers and confirmed its connection, particularly with the comedian moments. The small orchestra of ten and particularly the refrain of 9 contributed to the brilliance of a low-budget efficiency specifically designed for a non-Spanish-speaking viewers.
Zarzuela is a sort of operetta typical of Spain, which was particularly profitable between the second half of the nineteenth century and the primary 30 years of the twentieth century. The Visitor on the Inn, composed by the prolific Joaquín Rodrigo, premiered in 1926, and its quick success has made Canción de la espada / The Sword Music one of many musical items most sung by Spanish tenors.
By no means carried out earlier than in Canada, TOT’s model included a number of minor variations to make this work accessible to Canadian audiences. First, the numerous spoken elements between the musical themes had been in English. However, it have to be underscored that when the singers and choir sang they not solely did so with a really right Spanish, but in addition with the Castilian accent of Toledo, the place it’s positioned.
As well as, the unique work maintains a part of the thriller of who’s the visitor on the inn, since it’s a character at a desk who’s writing and never singing. It’s Miguel de Cervantes, creator of Don Quixote, who’s writing a brief novel earlier than his best-known work. In Guillermo Silva-Marín‘s model, Cervantes (Sean Curran) addresses the viewers from the start, involving them in his quest for inspiration to create a brand new quick novel. On this method, the viewers can extra simply observe the textual content of a zarzuela designed for an viewers extra conversant in the creator’s texts and Spanish tradition.
The vitality that this zarzuela transmits with a big orchestra will not be the identical as TOT provided with a diminished one positioned, furthermore, to at least one aspect of the stage. However, it provided acceptable options, reminiscent of when the male refrain enhances the lone percussionist with hand clapping. The tuning and coordination between orchestra, choir and singers, beneath the right musical route of Kate Carver, had been good and allowed yours really to get pleasure from a piece that I’ve seen on quite a few events in Spain.
As for the singers, Canadian tenor with Latin roots Tonatiuh Abrego performed Juan Luis. The Sword Music is the primary he should carry out within the play. A pause over a observe in the course of it has allowed singers reminiscent of Plácido Domingo and Alfredo Kraus to indicate off the ability of their voice and fiato. Abrego didn’t adorn his efficiency, however corectly delivered probably the most vital and delicate moments of it, which is the legato earlier than the chorus begins with “Brilla, Tizona.” Though he appeared considerably missing in momentum or vitality, he grew right into a mode of singing that, aside from one observe within the second duet with Raquel, was remarkably in tune and clearly articulated.
The position of Raquel was performed by Lucia Santilly, who was making her debut with the TOT and who, from the outset, offered a agency, well-placed and highly effective voice. She confirmed ease in reaching the very best and lowest notes, in addition to in responding to the coloratura of the work. Whereas the coordination with Abrego was magnificent, her solo La pena me hace llorar was excellent.
As for the comedian duo, Alexander Cappelazzo performed the comedian position of Rodrigo, Juan Luis’ servant, whereas Constancia was performed by Diana di Mauro. Each confirmed comedic sense, a cautious voice projection and an unmistakable articulation of the Spanish language. The Road Encounter was an excellent begin for them, through which the refrain additionally led a really humorous musical second staging the distinction between the allegedly “ugly women” and the “good-looking guys.” They shone, and made the viewers get pleasure from essentially the most with If You had been a Shepherdess, the place the staging, the comedian play with the lamb bleats or the histrionic interpretations confirmed the cautious work behind the entire manufacturing. Portraying the play’s dangerous man, Don Diego, baritone Stuart Graham sang equally properly and firmly.
In brief, it was a profitable strategy to a lightweight, not too-pretentious comedian play that entertained the viewers for an hour and forty minutes, together with intermission. Ultimately, they applauded the performers, who confirmed particulars of humour within the ultimate salutations. For the few attendees, it was introduction to a chunk within the folkloric music of probably the most profitable types of leisure of Spanish tradition.
By Antonio Peláez Barceló for LvT
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