El limonero real
Chamber opera based on the eponymous novel by Juan José Saer
Staged & directed by
MARICEL ALVAREZ
Composer & Musical conductor
EZEQUIEL MENALLED
Libretto
FERNANDO REGUEIRA
Centro de Experimentación del Teatro Colón, 2015 Season, Buenos Aires
A transposition of Juan José Saer’s eponymous novel, and a landmark work in Argentinian literature, The Royal Lemon Tree narrates the journey of Wenceslao, in his late fifties, in an isolated insular setting in Santa Fe Province during the last day of the year. As time and the River Paraná flow by, grey areas begin to fill the frame of the narrative thread: Wenceslao goes to the family meal alone, as his wife refuses to leave the house since their son died. He himself is as present to the surrounding elements as he is absent to social life, gradually trying to share with us this “space within”.
Taking the most Joycean novel written by Juan José Saer as a starting point and aesthetic reference, Maricel Alvarez -renowned actress and director- and Ezequiel Menalled -an Argentinian composer, resident in the Netherlands- join creative forces to produce this chamber opera, a project commissioned and presented by the Colón Theater’s Experimentation Center (CETC).
Cast:
Esteban Manzano (Tenor), Alejandro Spies (Baritone), Virginia Correa Dupuy (Mezzo Soprano), Luca Zubieta, Virginia Majorel (Soprano), Juan Francisco Ramirez (Tenor), Tomás Catania / Son
Musicians:
Ensemble Modelo62: Gemma Tripiana Muñoz / Flute, Jorge López García / Clarinet, Justin Christensen / Trompet, Klára Andrlová / Percussion / Teodora Stepančić / Piano, Elliot Simpson / Electric Guitar, Rebecca Huber / Violin, Jan Willem Troost / Violoncello, Vasilis Stefanopoulos / Double Bass
Artistic team:
Set: Julieta Potenze / Lights: Agnese Lozupone / Costumes: Belén Parra / Graphic design: Leandro Ibarra / Video: Natalia Labaké / Post-production & Animation: Nicolás Dardano / Photo: Nora Lezano / Sound engineer: Fernando Taverna / Musical coach: Diego Ruiz / Performance photos: Maximo Parpagnoli / Assistant to the director: Ezequiel Steinman / Assistant to the executive producer: Lucila Michan / Executive producer: Nadia Estebanez / Composer and musical conductor: Ezequiel Menalled / Staging, directed by Maricel Alvarez
EL LIMONERO REAL received the RFI-Radio Cultura Award (given by the French Embassy and the Buenos Aires City Government) for Best Production of the year.