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Toronto…A champion of music theatre in all
it’s diversity, Toronto Operetta Theatre presents the
Canadian Premiere of the Spanish zarzuela, LUISA FERNANDA
by Moreno Torroba on March 9, 2011 at the St. Lawrence
Centre for the Arts with further performances on March 11, 12,
and 13 (mat). “As a
native born Puerto Rican, it is a great pleasure for me to be
instrumental in bringing this great example of Iberian music
theatre to Toronto” said TOT’s General Director Guillermo
Silva-Marin. “Our production will be marked by a new twist
for TOT…the musical portions of the zarzuela will be in Spanish
and the dialogue will be in English”.
LUISA FERNANDA premiered at Teatro Calderon in Madrid in 1932
and was an instant hit. Librettists Federico Romero and Guillermo Fernandez Shaw
provided Torroba with characters that move easily between the
sophistication of Madrid and the simplicity of the Spanish
countryside, between revolutionary politics and an elegant
comedy of manners. With over 10,000 performances since 1932, the work
musically embodies Torroba’s ideals of El casticismo, an
effort to foster the tradition of pure, popular nationalism. His music offers colourful Spanish charm and also alludes
to Italian verismo and the suavity of operetta from
Vienna’s Silver Age.
The zarzuela will be conducted by José Hernandez.
Originally from Andalusia in southern Spain, Hernandez received
his musical education in Madrid and began his professional
career there as a conductor and pianist. Tenor Edgar Ernesto Ramirez is Mexican born and
will make his TOT debut as the ardent but fickle Javier. Michele Bogdanowicz, remembered as Yum Yum
in TOT’s MIKADO, returns as his fiancé Luisa Fernanda and
Miriam Khalil, recently hailed as Musetta in
Edmonton Opera’s LA BOHEME, will be heard as the scheming
Countess Carolina. Eugenia Dermentzis, one of TOT’s
young artists, is featured as Mariana, the Innkeeper.
Guillermo Silva-Marin takes the role of Vidal, a rich
landowner come to Madrid in search of a young wife. With full orchestra, chorus and Elena la Comadre’s
Arte Flamenco Spanish Dance Company, LUISA FERNANDA will
blaze with power and passion straight from the heart of Spanish
operetta.
All performances at the wheelchair accessible St. Lawrence
Centre for the Arts at 27 Front St. East. Call
416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754. Online sales:
www.stlc.com. The theatre is
convenient to public transportation and parking. For further
information, call TOT at 416-922-2912 or visit us at
www.torontooperetta.com
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“Zarzuela comes to Toronto”
