Barely at the beginning of the 20th century, zarzuela chica created it with the zarzuela version of “The Barber of Seville”which included “loans” from Rossini’s original opera (and “Lucia”) or brought together the inner world of song with a biting edge, … with a fun and very well-woven storyline, which was also highlighted by the art of the participants, singers and actor-singers, based on only five musical numbers.
Let’s say again that it is perhaps the most modest production that we saw with the CSZ, and yet we must see how he compensated for it by adapting the Rule scriptwhich rationalized the already amusing original text or the dynamic stage approach by García-Moraleswhich synchronized the scene of the different rooms of the inn, making it “self-freeze” or reactivate to follow the storyline, juxtaposing the different points of view of the mess, as it grew more complicated from almost nothing. Laughter and laughter provoked by natural and human intelligence, which could not have gone so well without everyone’s involvement.
We already know that the ‘regista’ usually takes on singing roles and always does it very well. In this case, she was playing the role of the singer/diva, where the costumes and fear of her rival were more of a concern than her singing. In pleasure ‘I’m the tipple’ (or the “triple”, as I called it Ms. Casimira), we find a number with a catchy rhythm, with a beautiful timbre of La Roldán and as there were no choirs in this zarzuela, Don Nicolas (Sánchez-Rivas) And Benito (Ortega) they did the time. They are singing actors, but as they saved the meeting and between the three of them, they offered us these moments that are zarzuela and which they know little about.
The work’s most popular number – and one of the best known in the entire genre – is surely “They call me beautiful”. This title already predisposes us to lace, delicacy, finesse and grace, based on the knowledge that the authors have demonstrated to have of bel canto, and which they have achieved through the high notes: it reaches no less than the C, it remains a lot on the B, it controls several times the chromatic scales from this very high note, it sequences the clusters and boasts of the triplets with which it adorns the melodies, like these embroideries to which we have made reference.
Soraya Méncid (soprano)
Soraya Mencid It’s everywhere, because although fame came to him after winning the Seville Young Voices award, he did not part with everyone he worked with, and CSZ has been like his home for many years. Now they have a star who shines, but who doesn’t believe in it, because she doesn’t know how to be a diva, but in any case this charming girl who sings like angels among her usual companions.
Luz Gutiérrez She acted like a mother, with a very adequate register, since she must seek naturalness in singing, established from popular heritage. But not only did she do it very well, but she was a sensational actress, able to stand up to Sánchez-Rivas himself, who was great, because Don Nicolás is not a surprise, we would say – leaving aside the distance – that he reminds of Don Hilarión, a scoundrel but not as old as the apothecary, that is, he is still in the “market”.
Gutiérrez also sang the ‘morrongo tango’the best known piece of another zarzuela (“Free education”), signed exclusively by Giménez, presenting the tango as a very spicy piece, which soon became very popular among cupletistas and in cafes. The piece is so rhythmic and catchy that the composer used it to close the zarzuela.
Ultimately the orchestra played well, although it would have been nice to tune more frequently on an afternoon when the weather was uncertain. But there were times, like in the aforementioned tango, when he played with enormous ease. Above all, we must highlight the work of the horn, with its soft and delicate color.
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