May 25, 2012: La Chulapona in Madrid

2012-05-25 La Chulapona (Moreno Torroba), Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid)

Manuela = Milagros Martín
Rosario = Carmen González
José María = Marcelo Puente
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

Finally at 2000 LA CHULAPONA in Teatro de la Zarzuela with Milagros Martin as Manuela and Carmen Gonzalez as Rosario. The production is from 1988 and there exists a DVD from it also with Milagros Martin and Carmen Gonzalez.

Despite I still don't understand all that much Spanish I understood much more than I did in 1989 when I saw this zarzuela during the Edinburgh Festival. I love zarzuela and have recently started a small collection of zarzuelas. Federico Moreno Torroba (the composer) is a genius and the music in Chulapona is just marvellous. Naturally I have the CD with Teresa Berganza as Manuela and the wonderful Pilar Lorengar as Rosario. A wonderful CD with the perfect Manuela and perfect Rosario.

24 years after the premiere are Milagros Martin and Carmen Gonzalez still the perfect Manuela and Rosario. Aged but like fine wine only better and more refined than ever. Marcelo Puente in the role of Jose Maria, loved by these two different women, was also wonderful.

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