HOLIDAY SEASON AT THE TEATRO REAL
By Guidepost & Jazmin Moore
The Teatro Real, known simply as El Real, is Madrid’s most treasured Opera House. Because its original purpose was to entertain the royals, it’s understandably located directly opposite the Palacio Real. Ferdinand VII, twice king of Spain (1808, 1813–1833), founded the Opera House in 1818. But it wouldn’t be inaugurated until 19 November 1850 and only because, tired of the protracted construction, Queen Isabella II, who succeeded her father Ferdinand, issued the Royal Decree on 7 May 1850 which ordered the immediate completion of the work.
El Real, center, seen from the Royal Palace
Home to the Royal Conservatory of Madrid, a Royal Decree ordered the closure of the Opera House in 1921 due to the damage it sustained from the construction of the Metro, Madrid’s subway. It then reopened in 1925, no longer as an Opera House but a Symphony Concert Hall.
A remodeling in the 1990s led to its conversion into an opera house again and was inaugurated as such on 11 October 1997.
Today the Teatro Real (Royal Theater) is a highly respected Spanish cultural institution and is ranked with the Prado Museum and the Queen Sofia National Art Center (Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía). Moreover, it has become an internationally acclaimed opera house, a showcase for state-of-the art productions and a favorite with opera luminaries.
Treat yourself to a number of exciting shows at El Real. Check out what Guidepost has lined up for you this Christmastime and have yourself
¡FELICES FIESTAS!
“Gala de Navidad with Lawrence Brownlee,” 6 December, 20:00h
Lawrence Brownlee, one of the greatest tenors of his generation, is an American operatic tenor with an impressive bel canto repertoire. He has been named Male Singer of the Year for the 2017 International Opera Awards in the UK. His recent album “Virtuoso Rossini Arias” was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album.
Brownlee has performed in the most prestigious opera houses in the world (Metropolitan Opera, New York; La Scala, Milan; Opera National, Paris; Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich; Lyric Opera, Chicago . . .) with some of the most outstanding orchestras (Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, the Symphonic Orchestra of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Boston Symphony Orchestra . . .).
In the Gala de Navidad this 6 December, Brownlee is performing with Madrid’s Orquesta Clásica Santa Cecilia
Some seats are still available. Treat yourself to this Christmas gift!
La Bohème, 11 December – 8 January 2018
A new production of Puccini’s La Bohème which revolves around young innocent and hopeful bohemians whose dreams were truncated by poverty, severe cold weather and misfortune. This Italian melodrama, replete with the beauty of the music, the dramatic effectiveness, the sentimentality of the story and the orchestral motifs, is one of the most beloved operas ever. Cold-shouldered at its premiere, it nevertheless became an essential pillar of romantic Italian repertory soon after.
It’s set in a melancholy 19th-century Parisian winter and will let the audience in on the tragic love shared by Rodolfo (Stephen Costello / Piero Pretti) and Mimì (Anita Hartig / Yolanda Auyanet). No happy ending here. But it is unerringly redeemed by Mimi, a kind-hearted and virtuous woman.
The Bohème that’s coming to the Teatro Real these days is a new production by the Teatro Real, co-produced with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The four-act opera premiered at the Teatro Regio of Torino on 1 February 1896 and at the Teatro Real de Madrid on 17 February 1900.
Seats are still available.
“Noche Española en Navidad,” 13 December, 20:00h
This concert with a Spanish flavor is a perfect way to set the mood for Christmas. Here’s what you can expect from “Noche Española en Navidad.”
PART 1: “Las Bodas De Luis Alonso” by G. Giménez; “La Revoltosa” by Chapí; “España” by Chabrier; and “Concierto De Aranjuez” by Joaquín Rodrigo.
PART 2: “España” by E. Waldteufel; “Concertino Para Guitarra y Orquesta” by S. Bacarisse; “Aires Gitanos” by Sarasate; “El Amor Brujo” by Falla; and “Navarra” by Sarasate.
Star of the show is Carlos Bonell and his guitar. Described by Classical Guitar Magazine as “one of the great communicators of the guitar world,” Bonell is an English classical guitarist of Spanish origin. He has over 25 albums to his name.
Orchestra: Orquesta Clásica Santa Cecilia. The ensemble is composed of more than 150 musicians and has been directed by such illustrious maestros as Krystian Zimerman and Nicola Benedetti.
Some seats are still available.
“Gala de Bienvenida a la Navidad,” 24 December, 12:00h
SOLD OUT! Sorry.
“Concierto del Año Nuevo,” 1 January 2018, 20:00h
New Year celebration, Madrid
Ring in the New Year with beautiful waltzes from Vienna! This is the Teatro Real’s traditional New Year’s concert. El Real says there are going to be surprises in the course of the evening too!
Here’s what’s on the program.
Orchestra: Orquesta Clásica Santa Cecilia
Director: Kynan Johns
PART 1
STRAUSS: Fledermaus, obertura (The Bat)
STRAUSS: “Banditen Galopp” Op. 378 (Bandit’s Gallop)
CHRISTIAN LUMBYE: Salut Gallop
STRAUSS: Trisch Trasch Polka
WALDTEUFEL: The Skaters
STRAUSS – Southern Roses Op. 388
STRAUSS: Tik-Tak Polka
WALDTEUFEL: España Op. 236
STRAUSS: The Emperor’s Waltz Op. 437
STRAUSS: Nightingale Polka
A violin of Johann Strauss II of the Blue Danube fame
PART 2
STRAUSS: “Frühlingsstimmen Walzer” Op. 410 (Voices of Spring)
STRAUSS: Ohne Sorgen (Without having to worry) Op. 271
STRAUSS. Blood of Vienna
CHRISTIAN LUMBYE: Champagne Galop
STRAUSS: Electro-magnetische Polka (Polka Electromagnetic Polka)
SVIRIDOV: The Snowstorm
STRAUSS: Under Thunder and Lightning
STRAUSS: The Blue Danube
STRAUSS: The March of Radetsky
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Images
Featured image/Marco Verch via Flickr, CC BY2.0
Teatro Real/PromoMadrid via Flickr, CC BY-SA2.0
Lawrence Brownlee/iClassical Com, CC BY2.0
Christmas ball/Cebaman via Flickr, CC BY2.0
La Bohème, uploaded by Susanienox, Flickr, PD
Feliz Navidad/One Way Stock via Flickr, CC BY-ND2.0
Spanish guitar/Kainet via Flickr, CC BY-SA2.0
New Year Madrid/Bökur Sigurbjörnsson, via Flickr, CC BY2.0
Strauss’ violin/Dennis Jarvis via Flickr, CC BY-SA2,0
