August 17, 1989: La Chulapona in Edinburgh

1989-08-17 La Chulapona (Moreno Torroba), Playhouse Theatre (Edinburgh)

Manuela, jefa del taller de plancha = Lola Casariego
Rosario, oficiala y amiga de Manuela = Amalia Barrio
José María, novio de Manuela = Ricardo Muñiz
Juan de Dios, hermano de Manuela = Julio Incera
Señor Antonio, padre de Emilia y eterno enamorado de Manuela =José Luis Cancela
Doña Venustiana, madre de Rosario y prestamista = Rosaura De Andrea
El Chalina, organillero achulado y algo aprovechado = Rafael Castejón
Don Epifanio, padre de Manuela y pobre cesante = Luis Barbero
Emilia = Marisa Ruz
Organillero = Mario Martín
Lolita = Manolita Antolinos
Ascensión = Juanita Ruiz
Concha = Ada Rodriguez
Ist Guard = José Antonio Sanguino
2nd Guard = Ion Garyalde
Manolito = César Lucendo
Young man in tavern = José Varela
Drunkard = Jesús Alcaide
Flamenco singer = Maria "La Coneja"
Ganadero = José Antonio Sanguino
Cansino = José Sánchez Cela
Peasant = Carlos Rubio
Maravilla = Pilar Del Río
Guadalupe = Emilia Fuentes
Café owner = Andrés Fuentes
Sleeping man = Rafael Del Río
Guitarist = Francisco Bohollo

Dancers = Elvira Andrés, Nuria Castejon, Paloma Moraleda
Pilar Rubio, Carlos Fernández, Isaac Fernández, Juan Manuel Lillo, Ricardo Ocaña



Miguel Roa, conductor

National Opera of Spain, Teatro la Zarzuela, Madrid
Producer - Gerardo Malla
Designer - Mario Barnedo
Choreography - Goyo Montero
Light design - Eric Teunis


My first Zarzuela experience. It was wonderful. But if I understood Spanish it would have been even better. It had lot of dialogue and was funny too, but it was all in Spanish.

May 26, 2012: La Chulapona in Madrid

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

La Chulapona
Del 4 de Mayo al 3 de Junio de 2012 (excepto lunes y martes)
Miércoles (Día del espectador) y domingos, a las 18:00 horas
Funciones de abono: 24, 25, 26 y 27 de Mayo de 2012
Comedia lírica en tres actos
Música de Federico Moreno Torroba
Libro de Federico Romero y Guillermo Fernández-Shaw
Estrenada en el Teatro Calderón de Madrid,
el 31 de Marzo de 1934
Producción del Teatro de la Zarzuela, 1988
Edición a cargo de Federico Moreno-Torroba Larregla
(Ediciones Iberautor, SRL / Instituto Complutense de Ciencias Musicales, 2005)


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...


OD Travel
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For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

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.

OD Travel
Original blog post



For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com