Les Arts wants to do honor to his name

as The new maintainer of the colosseum, Jesus, Churches, to attract the public, incorporating other artistic disciplines beyond the opera

Vicent Marzà expected “good news” of a forthcoming meeting with the Ministry

His official swearing in will not be until the next one in January 2019, but Jesús Iglesias Noriega already has a plan. The new artistic director of the Palau de les Arts wants the arena to become the “catalyst” of the cultural life of the Valencian Community. And the way of doing so, as explained yesterday during his first public appearance, is to open the palace to all kinds of artistic manifestations musicals: “Les Arts should not be conceived only as a theatre and opera”, he said, adding: “All that is lyrical and quality must be able to accommodate”. This includes, he pointed out Churches, from zarzuelas and ballets until most popular genres as the musical, the jazz, the flamenco, the tango, the fado.

“don’t need to like opera to all over the world”, he noted, so that it will attempt to “monetize your investment and take advantage of the building” with an alternative offer that will serve to attract new audiences. The goal: make society “feel like himself” the palace, whatever your interests. Of course, he clarified the new artistic director, the opera will remain as the “center of activity” and will seek to expand the repertoire, collecting works and periods of art that until now have not had a prominent place in the programming. Always, he stressed, maintaining “international excellence”.

The nomination of Jesús Iglesias Noriega was chosen by the evaluation commission after an international competition that concluded last summer. The president of the Board of trustees of the Arts, Susana Lloret said yesterday its total confidence in the new artistic head: “The palace was disconnected socially. Your project is the antidote,” he said.

The main challenge remains the budget. The minister of Culture and Education, Vicent Marzà, announced that the accounts prepared by the Generalitat to 2019 envisages a rise in the amount allocated to the Arts. And he added that after a meeting “informal” with the minister of Culture, José Guirao, on the 6th of November will go to the Ministry to an official meeting. “That day we hope to be able to give good news,” he said.

And that is just what you need a Palau that, as Churches, is located at a “key moment” in which you need to define a “long term project”. Les Arts do not have, explained, “neither the tradition nor the history of other theatres in europe and for that reason have to develop their identity and convey it to the public. Find your space as did the operas of Lyon and Amsterdam that 30 years ago were irrelevant.”

His vision for the coliseum valencia is to turn it into a “great center of art” in which the classical works, live together with others of new creation and there is room for “discussion, exchange of ideas, exhibitions and new technologies”. And as for the repertoire, to ensure that the selection of titles to respond to a “thread” that will fit most Spanish authors and which also has a presence zarzuela.

As a complement, cycles of concerts, opera and of lieder -including also national composers, the recital of the pupils of the Centro Plácido Domingo, symphony concerts and corals that could be replicated in other localities. Among the plans of Churches, appears also to hold “if possible” a gala with the greatest figures of the dance.

The new artistic director -who will receive the compensation maximum, 130.000 euros per year – acknowledged that his project is, for the moment, a “statement of intentions” that will attempt to follow, though “the time is has taken over” and “there are things achievable, and some don’t.” Schedule, said, “it is more than putting a list of titles in a paper. It is more difficult to combine the puzzle when you have to play with the availability” of performers and directors. Churches refused to advance any of the possible titles for next year’s schedule and also deemed “a little seriously” to give names of stars that could land soon in the Arts.

yes, he expressed his intention of fleeing the “star system” operatic. “What we’re not going to do it,” he stressed, “is to hire stars by hiring them. Resources are limited and need to create projects with a unique meaning. If all the function has a strength of art, people will come”. Therefore, it was concluded Churches, “you don’t need to splurge. The tinsel prevents you from having a direct relationship with the emotion.”

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