The Liceu serves opera and healthy food in ‘La cuina de Rossini’

The Gran Teatre coincided with the 28th anniversary of the Liceu fire in 1994. ‘La cuina de Rossini’, an educational project aimed at schools and families, Recommended for 6 years or older. The weekend will be performed first family performances at the Gran Teatre.

In addition to being a great composer, Giacomo Rossini (1792-1868) was a great lover of cuisine who gave his name to juicy dishes such as cannelloni or tournedó a la Rossini. His music and his passion for good food now come together in an ambitious show about opera and healthy food, with a budget of 150,000 euros, edited by David Selvas (scene) and Andreu Gallén (music). Both have collaborated on productions such as ‘T’estimo si he begut’ and ‘El màgic d’Oz’ but this is the first time they have immersed themselves in a project of this type, which seeks to bring the new generations closer. . to this format.

“The goal is for spectators to leave the Liceu to listen and watch opera,” Selvas explained. The overture of ‘Guillermo Tell’, the ‘Largo al factotum’ from ‘The Barber of Sevilla’, translated into Catalan but also lesser-known pieces by Rossini adapted by Gallén in a show with changing scenery.

good ingredients

To make ‘La cuina de Rossini’, they used quality ingredients. On the one hand the melodies of the famous operas by the musician of Pesaro performed by seven singers and an orchestra of 10 musicians of the Conservatori del Liceu. On the other hand, a current dramaturgy whose protagonists are a boy with a passion for opera who bears the image of Rossini stamped on his shirt and calls himself to his honor. Ross (Toni Viñals) and his sister Isabela (Neus Pàmies), who does not share his penchant for lyrics and runs a restaurant with creative and healthy cuisine whose competition is Burger Queen, a fast food business. Both brothers begin to argue the montage and finally enjoy the lyrics after experiencing a series of adventures thanks to a magic wand that both the Rossini’s spirit as several characters in his works such as Fiorello, the Cinderella and Guillermo Tell.

“Neither the plot nor the text of the operas are respected to explain our history,” explains Gallén, who conducts the orchestra from the piano, in full view of the public. “We want the public to make contact with music from the first minute. The world is full of prejudices, not only with opera, but also with classical music. Sometimes the problem is ignorance. I want kids and not so kids to vibrate with this, that they want to go away and go to Spotify to discover more“.

Upgrade

Many of the arias, duets and ensemble numbers They were adapted by a libretto that breaks with some ideas of Rossinian operas that are somewhat outdated today. “At the plot level, they are sexist and racist,” Selvas highlighted. it brings that conflict between ideas of yesterday and today to the stage. For example, the character of Cenerentola (Cinderella), rebels against the idea of ​​going to the dance to meet her prince after listening to Isabela. The conflict between modernity and musical tradition is one of the axes of the work. The idea is “preserves the tradition of opera, but connects with modernity”, pointed out Víctor García de Gomar, artistic director of the Liceu. “The goal is to develop the ability to listen, understand and enjoy opera, both with the performance and with the educational material.”

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The director thanked the famous chef for his collaboration on this new educational project Carme Ruscalledaafter the Pau Gasol Foundationconcerned about childhood obesity and the Ferrer Salad Foundation for their support and guidance in this new proposal of the LiceuAprèn.