Teatro Real Returns to New York With 'Fire, Guitar, Legend'

By Elena Vasquez

The Teatro Real de Madrid returned to New York on Oct. 15 for its annual gala performance. Music Director Gustavo Gimeno led the orchestra in a program titled "Fire, Guitar, Legend," built on music by de Falla, Rodrigo and Rimsky-Korsakov.

The evening delivered fiery interpretations and passionate music making, anchored by a soprano making her New York debut and a guitarist who earned thunderous applause.

Fire: Adriana Gonzalez Makes Her New York Debut

The concert opened with selections from de Falla's "El Amor Brujo." The orchestra performed them with rhythmic precision, particularly the "Danza ritual del fuego," which the reviewer found playful if at times a bit too slow.

Momentum arrived with de Falla's "Siete canciones populares españolas," featuring soprano Adriana Gonzalez in her New York debut. Gonzalez relished each rhythmic flourish in "El paño moruno," "Seguidilla murciana" and "Polo," emphasizing the triplet flamenco rhythm. Her low chest voice showed a lush vocal range. In the "Jota," she stretched each rallentando for as long as she could.

She excelled most in the haunting "Asturiana" and the tender "Nana," showcasing a legato line both sensitive and flexible.

The highlight of Gonzalez's evening came in her encore: "Goizeko eguzki argiak" from Jesús Guridi's "Mirentxu." She sang with delicacy, gorgeous pianissimos and extended held phrases. The reviewer wrote that it was "virtuosic singing like no other" and expressed hope that the soprano returns to New York stages very soon.

Guitar: Juan Manuel Cañizares Plays Rodrigo

Juan Manuel Cañizares then performed Rodrigo's famed "Concerto de Aranjuez," amplified with a microphone — a choice that made sense given the pianissimo sound he produced.

Cañizares opened the "Allegro con spirito" with precise runs, his timbre light and agile. Gimeno accompanied with dynamic flexibility, keeping tempi steady and following the guitarist closely.

The second movement "Adagio" opened with a haunting oboe solo of dark timbre that evoked grief and loss. Cañizares answered with a light tone that built bar by bar, and the two soloists traded the central melody to perfection before the strings surged to a forte climax.

The "Allegro gentile" was playful, with Cañizares showing flexible runs and extraordinary technique across the fretboard. His thunderous applause led directly to an encore of his own "Cádiz" from "Concierto Al-Ándalus" — a piece the reviewer called "the definition of fire."

Legend: Gergana Gergova Carries 'Scheherazade'

The program closed with Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade," effectively a showcase for the concertmaster. Gergana Gergova delivered, with a gorgeous timbre, immaculate double stops, precise runs and an interpretation filled with nostalgia, joy and passion.

Gimeno united the first and second movements, and the third and fourth, without pause. "The Sea and Sinbad's Ship" evoked ocean waves through swelling rhythms. "The Legend of the Kalender Prince" showcased an inspired wind section. The "Festival at Baghdad" built frenetic energy to a fortissimo recapitulation of the opening, then descended to an ethereal piano that let the solo violin fade in the hall.

The orchestra encored with the "Preludio" from Federico Chueca's zarzuela "Elbateo," a joyful closer emphasizing Spanish dance.

What Comes Next for the Teatro Real?

The reviewer's one reservation: these works are heard too frequently in the United States, and a Spanish opera in concert reading would offer American audiences a better discovery on a future tour.