The most popular fiesta: the Verbena of Bretón

La verbena de la Paloma pays tribute to town gatherings. A song to towns celebrating their local celebrations, their fiestas. A social landscape that paints the loves and happy times of simple folk.

19th century Spanish dramatist and politician, Benito Pérez Galdós, praised this format to bring the very best of music closer to people, to make great compositions accessible, and to strip them of composure, complicated plots and stories that were far from day-to-day life.

At that moment and because of their short duration, these zarzuelas and operettas were called “theatre by the hour”. They were extraordinarily successful.

Julián and Susana, a young pair of “chulapo” (19th century working class people from Madrid, famous for their attitude and way of dressing) lovers are off to a “verbena” (open-air dance) that celebrates the Virgen of the Dove in Madrid on the 15th of August. They enjoy themselves; they have a quarrel, they make peace. They sing and dance.

There is no better tribute to the grand composer Tomás Bretón on the 175th anniversary of his birth than to programme one of his most popular works, the core of our own musical heritage. Galician baritone Borja Quiza returns after participating in El barberillo de Lavapiés during the 2020-2021 season. The musical direction and staging are in the hands of two brilliant women: conductor Lucía Marín and stage director and choreographer Nuria Castejón. This production comes from the Teatro de la Zarzuela, where it premiered in Madrid in May 2024, to thundering applause.