The story of the Indian *

This social fable about the power of money, social hypocrisy, secret lies, and irrational desire celebrates its century in 2023 as it was first performed in 1923 at Madrid’s Teatro de la Zarzuela. This season it comes to the stage of the Teatro de la Maestranza for the first time. In an unnamed fishing village of French Provence in 1845, some of the locals relive the dreams of their past when Juan, an “Indian” who had been believed dead, returns to his hometown as a wealthy and powerful man.

With this, the villagers see him as the one to solve all their problems. The love of Juan’s youth, Adriana, is now a poor widow so he decides to pay off all her family debts. As compensation, he pursues the widow’s daughter Rosaura in marriage. It is as if Juan were a “gavilán” (sparrowhawk) circling around a helpless dove, in an atmosphere of scandal and disarray.

José Ramos Martín wrote the libretto, and the music is by Jacinto Guerrero, a composer from Toledo who experienced international fame as his piece would become one of the most popular and beloved zarzuelas ever written. Los gavilanes is a refreshing and unadorned work of inspired, infectious melodies. It is both a regionalist zarzuela and a cosmopolitan and modern piece that describes the meanness of a community set against a brilliant musical tapestry.

The stage director is Mario Gas, who is passionate about zarzuela, while the set design and costumes are by Oscar Award winners Ezio Frigerio and Franca Squarciapino. Óliver Diaz conducts this applauded production of the Teatro de la Zarzuela with Javier Franco, María Rodríguez, Sofía Esparza and Alejandro del Cerro leading the cast.

*An “Indiano” was the colloquial name for a Spanish emigrant to the Americas at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century who returned home wealthy from the colonies.

Libretto by José Ramos Martín
Premiere at the Teatro de La Zarzuela of Madrid on December 7, 1923.