Work: María del Pilar. / A libretto by Flores and Briones adapted by Maria Velasco. / Music by Gerónimo Giménez / Performers: Soloists, Chorus of the Zarzuela, the Orchestra of the Community of Madrid. / Director: Oliver Díez. / Venue: Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid). / Date: 30.XI.18. / Rating: ***

Giménez debuted in 1902, Maria del Pilar was a great success, that has not prevented tardáramos more than a century to re-listen to it. He was a great musician who knew the european lyrical of his time. Mascagni, Massenet or Wagner were not alien, but not copied, I had it in mind to insert your personal voice and style in their own contemporary international. He composed a score that is wide, full of successes, broad-flight lyrical, and superbly orchestrated. Much better than quite a few of which remain in the repertoire. Plays against a terrible libretto by Francisco Flores and Gabriel Briones on a rural Spain fortunately disappeared. Text devoid of substance theatrical, conventional, and frankly apolillado. Before the futility of mounting it, the Zarzuela has opted for a concert with original music thoroughly reviewed by with Juan de Udaeta and replacing the text spoken by a narration of the slight vicissitude performed by Maria Velasco with success. Spare some cultismo inconsistent, easily adjustable, and it was recited from time to time by Mario Gas.

Musically, it is work demanding. Took in Oliver Díez a excellent director wonderfully supported by the Orchestra of the Community of Madrid and the Choir of the Zarzuela. All the soloists were very appropriate. We will highlight to Carmen Solis, Marina Rodríguez Cusí, Andoni Gorrotxategui and Rubén Amoretti but all completed it. The work was able to show their true musical values that are very noticeable.

There are who applaud the work of the Zarzuela recovering a work that musically, it is a treasure trove of sound heritage Spanish that was forgotten. Had a great acceptance from a public that did not understand how this could be so because the work deserves to be known. The bad thing is that the institution does not record discs and practically makes transmissions with that this resurrection can be fleeting and the work to fall back in an ostracism of the one who has brought in all fairness. For the moment, we enjoyed. The function was dedicated to the memory of Jesús López Cobos.

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