Cançó d'amor i de guerra & Marina

PERFORMERS

Laura Gibert, soprano
Vicenç Esteve, tenor
Manel Esteve, baritone
Cor Madrigal (Pere Lluís Biosca, conductor)
Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès
Xavier Puig_conductor

PROGRAMME

R. Martínez Valls
Cançó d'amor i de guerra (selection)

E. Arrieta
Marina (selection)

Cançó d'amor i de guerra (Song of Love and War) is one of the most important zarzuelas in the Catalan repertoire, composed by Rafael Martínez Valls with a libretto by Lluís Capdevila and Víctor Mora, and premiered in 1926 at the Teatre Victòria in Barcelona.

Set against the historical backdrop of the French Revolution in the region of Roussillon in 1793, the story portrays an impossible love between Eloi, a young worker, and Francina, the daughter of the forge owner. Through his music, Martínez Valls successfully blends operatic influences with elements of Catalan folk music, including the sardana, creating a work rich in both vocal and orchestral textures. Despite the political challenges of the time, the zarzuela was a resounding success, setting a model for other composers of the era.

The program is completed by Marina, a notable work in the genre of romantic zarzuela, composed by Emilio Arrieta with a libretto by Francisco José Álvarez.