THE OPERA PUSH! CLOSES THE EVENTS OF SABADELL AS THE CATALAN CULTURE CAPITAL 2024

The year of Sabadell as the Catalan Culture Capital will close with the participatory opera Push!, an initiative aimed at promoting one of the city's most unique assets and featuring the involvement of several local groups.

Two performances will take place on Sunday, January 26, coinciding with International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27), at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Tickets, free with prior reservation, are already sold out for both sessions.

Push! is a work by British composer Howard Moody based on the moving story of Belgian pianist and Holocaust survivor Simon Gronowski.

Manel Valdivieso takes on the musical direction, Dani Coma the stage direction, and Buia Reixach directs the participating choirs. Jordi Cos, president of the OSV and head of innovation and socio-educational projects at the FOC, leads the artistic direction and coordination.

The production features 130 singers from four choirs in Sabadell (Coral Belles Arts de Sabadell, Coral Els Notes, Cor Jove, and Cor Ohana from the Sabadell Municipal Music School and Conservatory), as well as the Cor Amics de l’Òpera de Sabadell and the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès, bringing together a total of 154 performers.

Baritone Toni Marsol will voice Simon, the protagonist, soprano Laia Frigolé will play his sister, and baritone Germán de la Riva will portray the guard.

Today, Push!, a participatory opera by the Fundació Òpera a Catalunya (FOC), the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès (OSV), the Sabadell City Council, and the Fundación Banco Sabadell, was presented at the Teatre Principal in Sabadell.

The opera will close Sabadell's year as the Catalan Culture Capital on January 26, 2025, with two performances at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. The chosen date coincides with International Holocaust Remembrance Day, reflecting the thematic resonance of the piece and its values.

The closing event aims to be an open initiative promoting arts and culture in Sabadell and facilitating access to culture for all. The participatory production features local choirs, while several Sabadell entities (Ràdio Sabadell, the Sant Vicenç Parish Theater Group, and L’Estruch, which hosted rehearsals) have contributed to the project, giving it a strong community focus.

At the evening session (6:00 p.m.), speeches will conclude Sabadell's tenure as the Catalan Culture Capital and hand over the title to the next city, Salou.

About the Opera

Push! is a one-act opera with libretto and music by British composer Howard Moody (b. 1964). The Sabadell version, translated into Catalan by Joan Sellent, was initially commissioned by the Battle Festival in Bexhill (UK) in co-production with Glyndebourne in 2016. It has since been performed at the Salisbury International Arts Festival, Chichester Cathedral (UK), the House of Commons in London, La Monnaie in Brussels (2019), and the Ringsaker Opera in Norway (2024).

The opera recounts the story of Simon Gronowski, a 12-year-old Belgian boy who escaped the Holocaust when his mother pushed him off a deportation train on April 19, 1943. She perished in Auschwitz three days later.

The production reflects Simon's survival, his post-war life, and his eventual forgiveness of those responsible for his suffering, as narrated by the production designer for La Monnaie, Benoît De Leersnyder.

Artistic Team and Cast

The production team includes:

• Musical Direction: Manel Valdivieso, principal conductor of the JONC and head of orchestral studies at the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu.
• Stage Direction: Dani Coma, a director blending stagecraft with performance training.
• Choir Direction: Buia Reixach, experienced in educational and social choral projects.

The cast features professional opera singers:

• Baritone Toni Marsol as Simon,
• Soprano Laia Frigolé as his sister,
• Baritone Germán de la Riva as the guard.

A participatory element includes 130 singers from Sabadell’s local choirs and 16 professional OSV musicians. Despite the community involvement, the rigorous rehearsal schedule ensures professional production standards.