Ópera de Tenerife

The first two productions are Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos and Puccini's Madama Butterfly.

The programmes Ópera en minúscula (Small format opera) and Ópera barroca (Baroque Opera) are some of the novelties of this cycle.

The audience can subscribe to the season for 100 euros, and under 30s for only 20 euros.

Today, the Tenerife Island Council hosted the presentation of the 2024-2025 season of Ópera de Tenerife.  Five high-end subscription titles have been maintained, with traditional and new titles. The commitments to Ópera en Familia (Family Opera) and Ópera de Cámara (Chamber Opera) have been maintained. Also, new outreach projects are being launched such as Ópera barroca (Baroque Opera) and the Ópera en minúscula (Small format opera) festival, to bring opera to other parts of the island, tackle different formats and initiate collaborations with other institutions.

The island minister of Culture, José Carlos Acha, the deputy minister of Culture of the Government of the Canary Islands, Horacio Umpiérrez, and the artistic director of the Auditorio de Tenerife, José Luis Rivero announced the details of this new series.

José Carlos Acha highlighted that "this year we have five high-level titles, and we have made progress with the baroque opera and some small format models in other spaces, closer to the spectator, with the collaboration of the Government of the Canary Islands and the National Institute for the Performing Arts and Music (INAEM)". "This information reflects months and months of work by the entire team at the Auditorio de Tenerife" stated the island minister.

Horacio Umpiérrez highlighted the level of support from the Government of the Canary Islands since the time of Socaem. He underscored that "the Tenerife Island Council and Auditorio de Tenerife took the bull by the horns when it was necessary to progress towards a different management model that could develop the discipline itself. This model has defined how the other institutions have worked, and now two models coexist naturally in the Canary Islands".

José Luis Rivero stated that "this moment is a party because it marks the start of many months of work and being able to begin selling passes". He noted that one of the objectives was "to be a catalyst for creative developments both in our area and in relationships abroad" and he stated that "the legacy of Ópera de Tenerife for the future is our commitment to contemporary creations". The artistic director of Auditorio de Tenerife also highlighted that "this season is the cheapest in all of Spain".

The five titles included in the pass are the in-house opera production Ariadne auf Naxos  by Richard Strauss (October), Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini (November), a production of the Teatro Comunale di Modena; La bella Susona by Alberto Carretero (December), a contemporary proposal co-produced between Tenerife and the Teatro de la Maestranza, Giovanna d'Arco, by Giuseppe Verdi (March), co-produced by the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma and the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, and Parsifal, symphonic-choral synthesis in three acts by Pedro Halfter (June), an adaptation of the work by Wagner for choir and orchestra.

All of these titles involve the participation of the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra. The Ópera de Tenerife-Intermezzo choir will participate in all the productions except the season's opening show. The performances begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Symphony Hall of the Auditorio de Tenerife.

Rivero pointed out that this season "marks the culmination of the tetralogy dedicated to women in music history. This fourth year, we are offering another perspective on women's contributions”. He believes that "the aesthetic of the opera of Tenerife works in the sphere of the traditional, the contemporary, and we are broadening out towards the baroque aesthetic and the romantic Lied with different formats. In some programmes such as Ópera en minúscula (Small format opera), we count on significant assistance from the Government of the Canary Islands".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0i3m7mbz2U

The season begins on 15, 17, and 19 October with our in-house production of the opera in a prologue and one act, Ariadne auf Naxos, by Richard Strauss. This meta-theatre, based on the mythological story of Ariadne, abandoned by her lover Theseus on the Greek island Naxos shortly after helping him to defeat the minotaur, is a testament to the skill of our cast. Commedia dell'arte characters led by Zerbinette, played by the soprano Serena Sáenz, will encourage the princess, the leading role played here by the soprano Irina Churilova, who ends up meeting the god Bacchus, who will be brought to life here by the tenor Michal König. The mezzo-soprano Na'ama Goldman will play the role of composer. The musical direction is by Diego Martín-Etxebarría, and Nicola Berloffa provides the stage direction.

One of the world's most widely performed operas, Madama Butterfly by Puccini, is coming to the Auditorio de Tenerife on 19, 21 and 23 November to move people with the tragic story of Cio-Cio-San. This geisha, played by the soprano Kristine Opolais, puts her all into her marriage with Pinkerton, an American soldier played by tenor Giorgi Sturua, who views her more as a pastime during his time in Japan than as a real partner. The maid Suzuki and the consul Sharpless will be performed by the mezzo-soprano Alisa Kolosova and the baritone Fernando Campero, respectively. Puccini's three acts of this story, celebrating its 120^th anniversary, mix love, betrayal and sacrifice. The musical direction is by Ramón Tebar, while Stefano Monti provides stage direction.

La bella Susona, which takes place on 7 December, tells the story of a young Jewish woman from Seville in the 15^th century. Susona, played by the soprano Daisy Press, betrayed her father, played by the baritone Luis Cansino. She reveals to her lover, a Christian knight played by the tenor José Luis Sola, the existence of a plot, in which her father was the ringleader. The members of the group of conspirators are arrested and executed. La Susona, ostracised and dejected, retires to a convent and orders to place her head above the door of her home upon her death.  Nacho de Paz will be the musical director, while Carlos Wagner will provide the stage design and playwriting.

On 25, 27 and 29 March 2025, Giovanna d'Arco, Verdi's seventh opera will come to the Auditorio de Tenerife. This work tells the story of Joan of Arc, a young French peasant girl in the 15th century who contributed to the coronation of Charles VII as king in his battle against the English invasion during the Hundred Years' War. The archangel Michael and two martyrs spoke to the young girl through visions, which provided the keys to leading battles. The cast of this production is led by two Canarian singers with internationally renowned careers: Yolanda Auyanet as Joan of Arc and Airam Hernández as Monarch. The baritone Juan Jesús Rodríguez will play the shepherd Giacomo. The stage direction of Davide Livermore will complement the musical direction by Lukasz Borowicz.

The last of the subscription titles of the season is Parsifal, a symphonic-choral synthesis in three acts by Pedro Halfter, which will take place on 28 June. After the symphonic poem Tannhäuser in 2023, the Madrid orchestra conductor is returning to Ópera de Tenerife to present a reduced version, with choir and orchestra, of a work by Richard Wagner, whom he admires. On this occasion, it is Parsifal, the magnum opus by the German composer about the life of the Arthurian knight and his quest for the Holy Grail.

The season includes a variety of shows, each offering a unique experience. Not included in the subscription, we have the Ópera en minúscula (Small format opera) programme at the La Granja Space, a production of the Auditorio de Tenerife, Teatro Extremo and the Community of Madrid. We also have Die Fledermaus (The Bat) by Johann Strauss (December), a collaboration with the Festival de Música de Canarias (Canary Islands Music Festival) and the Teatro Pérez Galdós, and Leonard Bernstein's chamber opera Trouble in Tahiti (January), a revival of the Auditorio de Tenerife production. In January-February, we present a Baroque opera in collaboration with Teatro Guimerá, accompanied by baroque recitals. In addition, we also have the family opera El retablo de maese Pedro, a puppet production by Compañía Etcétera, Teatro Real and Festival de Música y Danza of Granada, and several opera recitals by the soprano Raquel Lojendio.

Also, the partnership with Ramón Gener as ambassador of the Ópera de Tenerife is being renewed for another season through educational talks that will take place before each title to provide context and discover the musical curiosities of the piece. Ramón, who is also a writer and just published his first novel, Historia de un piano (The Tale of a Piano), is returning, accompanied by his characteristic presentations, piano, and voice. The first date with the Catalan populariser will be 10 July at 7:30 p.m. in the Chamber Hall.

For the new season, the pass for Tuesday and Thursday is 100 Euros, and Saturday is 150 Euros. Those aged under 30 still have the option to get a subscription for 20 Euros. The offer has discounts for large families, wheelchair users, and the person accompanying them. Current subscription holders can renew now, although if they want to change seats or show day, they have to wait until 14 May.  

The campaign for new subscription holders begins on 11 June, and single tickets for subscription titles -30 Euros for the shows on Tuesday and Thursday and 50 Euros for Saturday- can be purchased from 3 July onwards.

Aside from the special price, subscription holders of the Club Ópera enjoy a series of benefits:

• They guarantee their seat from before the start of the season.
• They are invited to exclusive events for each title.
• They will get a free drink in the interlude of each subscription title.

On the other hand, they are sent the handheld programme via email in advance, have flexibility when making specific changes to their pass, and have a discount and preferential sale for the rest of the season's programme. They can also benefit from discounts in the store, on guided visits and in the café.

Members of the Club Ópera Joven (Youth Opera Club) enjoy some of these benefits: before the start of the season, they can choose their season for each subscription title; they receive their handheld programme in advance, and they can request specific date changes for their subscription. They also have a preferential period of sale, receive personalised assistance via phone and email, and can enjoy a discount in the café at the Auditorio.

All the information about the season and subscriptions can be found at www.auditoriodetenerife.com. The opening hours of the box office and telephone sales (902 317 327) are Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., except public holidays. The information telephone number of the Auditorio de Tenerife, 922 568 625, is open from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., except for public holidays.

Adeje and La Orotava join the capital city in receiving three different programmes put together by the singer himself.

The Auditorio de Tenerife brings these lyrical recitals to three venues on the island by the tenor Airam Hernández and the pianist Vanessa García. From April 4 to 6, the Auditorio de Adeje, the Auditorio Teobaldo Power in La Orotava, and the Auditorio de Tenerife in Santa Cruz will host different programmes that the singer has prepared with each of these venues in mind. All performances start at 7:30 p.m.

For Airam Hernández, "planning a concert is comparable to creating a good perfume: the order, quantity and balance between the pieces are essential for it to work". "Thus, it thrills and lives on in the memory.", states the San Cristóbal de La Laguna-born tenor, who began his solo career in the Opernstudio and Ensemble of the Opernhaus Zürich

The Chamber Hall of the Auditorio de Tenerife will be the first to welcome the renowned singer on Thursday, April 4, with El viaje del Trovador (The Troubadour's Journey). This programme includes a selection of Spanish songs that trace a line through time from the 15th century to the present, inviting the audience to travel through time and enjoy the compositional evolution of a repertoire rich in registers and a broad palette of sounds.

The following day, Friday the 5th, the tenor and the pianist will perform at the Auditorio in Adeje the programme Aires del Sur (Tunes of the South), focusing on composers from the south of Spain and Latin America. The tour ends on Saturday 6th, at the Auditorio Teobaldo Power in La Orotava with the programme Aires del Norte, dedicated to composers from the north of Spain. For Airam Hernández, "They were born to offer two programmes that connect with people who come to these two beautiful spaces on the island. Thus, we are offering our audience the chance to enjoy two different programmes that capture the essence of the Spanish song tradition".

Hernández has taken on the role of Tamino, Don Ottavio, Pollione, Tebaldo, Edgardo, Alfredo, Fenton, Faust, Rodolfo, Jason, Ulysse, Grigori, and Arcadio, as well as the world premières in Sardanapalo (Liszt), Caruso in Cuba (Schaunard Award for Best Performer of the Year), and El Abrecartas.

He has performed in the main theatres in countries such as Spain, France, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Italy, Hungary and Switzerland. He has been conducted by conductors such as Gustavo Dudamel, Teodor Currentzis, Fabio Luisi, Nicola Luisotti, Nello Santi, Marco Armiliato, Ivor Bolton, Víctor Pablo Pérez and Markus Poschner, among others. 

Vanessa García is a Spanish pianist, repetiteur, vocal coach and assistant orchestra conductor who particularly excels as an extraordinary accompanist. Her musical attributes were apparent from an early age, so she studied singing, chamber music and choral conducting. 

At different times, Vanessa García has had the chance to perform as a soloist and accompanist at the Palau de la Música and with the Orchestra of the Catalonian Gran Teatre del Liceu (Spain). She is a vocal coach and repetiteur at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona.

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The show, winner of three Max awards, will take place on Sunday 17 at the Symphony Hall.

The Auditorio de Tenerife offers Oskara, by the Basque company Kukai Dantza, winner of the National Dance Award. The show will be performed at the Symphony Hall on Sunday (17) at 7:30 p.m. It was awarded Best Dance Show at the 30^th Huesca International Fair of Theatre and Dance (2016) and obtained three MAX Awards: Best Costume Design, Best Cast, and Best Dance Show.

This project features a cast of five dancers and a singer. It is an exciting collaboration between Kukai Dantza and Marcos Morau, who is one of the most renowned choreographers in Europe today. Morau received the National Dance Award in 2013 and has worked with some of the most prestigious companies of our time. He also creates innovative works with his company, La Veronal.

Oskara is the coming together of two choreographic universes and two perspectives of dance that navigate between the most popular roots and the most avant-garde expression, proposing a new scenic universe on the national scene. This installation work explores some landscapes of Basque culture, and myths, from its origins to the contemporary era. The proposal presents a journey of symbols and iconography that contains the history of human experience, in the most absolute way, with an ambiguous and disconcerting strength.

The code of the play is highly abstract, with an almost violent language that can only be understood by the order of the compositions.

In addition to Oskara, Yarin will be performed the day before, Saturday 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Symphony Hall's stage box. It is a choreography by Jon Maya, the founder of the Basque company, the flamenco dancer Andrés Marín (National Dance Award winner 2022) and Sharon Fridman, a multi-award-winning dancer and choreographer. Both shows are recommended for those over 16 years of age.

Kukai Dantza was created in 2001 through the initiative of the dancer and choreographer Jon Maya. Kukai carries out its work through traditional Basque dance and proposes encounters with other dance styles and ways of understanding art. Thus, Kukai creates contemporary shows through traditional Basque dance, producing unique creations and collaborations with prestigious choreographers. This has earned it an unmistakable identity on the international scene, and it is making an increasing number of appearances at festivals and on programmes all over the world.

Its many awards notably include the Max Award for Best New Show in 2009 and the two 2015 Max Awards received for 'Gelajauziak: Best Musical Composition (Sabin Bikendi) and Best Cast.

The tickets can be purchased at a single price of €15 for Oskara and €10 for Yarin (5 euros for the audience under 30 years of age, in both cases), on the website www.auditoriodetenerife.com, at the auditorium's box office, or by dialling the phone number 902 317 327 from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Check the special discounts for the audience under 30 years of age, students, unemployed, and large families.

Soprano Vanessa Goikoetxea considers that "the costume design of this Rusalka is one of the most beautiful things I have seen in my life”.

Tomorrow (Tuesday 5), the Auditorio de Tenerife is premiering its in-house production of the opera Rusalka by Antonín Dvorák. The first show will star the Basque soprano Vanessa Goikoetxea, while on Thursday 7 and Saturday 9 Ángeles Blancas is expected to tackle the role as she waits to recover after being a little unwell.

For Vanessa Goikoetxea, "The costume design of this Rusalka is impressive, it is one of the most beautiful things I have seen in my life”. The soprano is making her debut with this show at the Opera de Tenerife and says that "although I have spent little time in the production, I have felt a lot of support and love from the entire team, so much that I feel at home here”.

Goikoetxea acknowledges that it is a character that she feels comfortable with vocally, exploiting her most dramatic facet, but she also really identifies with the musical aspect and even emotionally. Rusalka is much more than the little mermaid, she is sensual but childlike, a dreamer, human and non-human... Playing with all of that is very interesting for me" explains the soprano, who adds that "vocally it may seem easy, but Dvořák imbues everything with an impressive lyricism, and he has a brilliant way of handling the voices”.

The soprano recommends to a hesitant audience "that sometimes it is necessary to delve into worlds where you don't have so much control, which can be scary. But I can assure them that they will leave differently from how they entered before the show started. I am certain that they will experience catharsis”.

Vanessa Goikoetxea made her debut with this role in January in Nice. The review in Ópera Actual acknowledged that "the Spanish soprano performed her opening aria forcefully and freely, offering superb high notes, with a firm voice, without variations in timbre or any kind of tremolo”. Jaume Estapá – the author of the article – stated that Goikoetxea "offered nuance in musical passages with a great lyrical feeling and always gave the impression of having authority and a great sense of drama”.

Goikoetxea, who took part in the general rehearsal yesterday, shared the stage with a cast that includes the bass Vazgen Gazaryan, in the role of Vodník, Rusalka's father. The tenor Rodrigo Porras will play the prince with whom Rusalka falls in love. The soprano Magdalena Anna Hofmann plays the role of the foreign princess, a former lover of the prince who will try to stop his relationship with the mermaid. The witch Jezibaba, who grants Rusalka's wish and who in this production will look like an orchestra maestro, will be played by mezzo-soprano Adriana Bignagni Lesca.

The cast is completed by three wood spirits, played by soprano Julietta Aleksanyan and mezzo-sopranos Carmen Artaza and Maria Schellenberg. Baritone Jiří Brückler will take on the roles of a hunter and a forester, while mezzo-soprano Nicole Chirka will be the perceptive kitchen maid. Both characters, who are relatives in the original libretto, act as a kind of stage manager in this production.

The shows this week marks the premiere on the island of the Czech composer's most popular opera, coinciding with the 120^th anniversary of his death. It involves a libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil, loosely based on the fairy tale Undine (1811) by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué and inspired by The Little Mermaid (1837) by Hans Christian Andersen and other European tales. Premiered in 1901, the opera is in Czech and will have subtitles in Spanish and English.

This in-house production of the Auditorio de Tenerife also marks the debut in Spain of the Brazilian stage director André Heller-Lopes, who proposes a show that ranges between the classic and the contemporary, the reality and the fantasy, with references to the Canarian coastline, eastern culture and the magic of nature.

In this production, the first act opens with a forest of music stands surrounded by a coastline and sea beds, while the second act shows how a luxury eastern palace emerges on stage. The ending of the third act is different to the children's versions of this story of mermaids in love. In this production, which has involved over two hundred people from several countries on three continents, it is possible to see Indian fabrics, eastern daggers, old instruments and magic effects.

Heller-Lopes' team is completed by the set designer Renato Theobaldo, Marcelo Marques' costumes and the lighting designer Gonzalo Córdova. The Brazilian assistant director also undertakes choreographer duties with the dancers from the ballet Centro Internacional de Danza de Tenerife. The videographer Pedrós created the images that will be screened, and they have a great local component. The British conductor Paul Daniel is the musical conductor of this show. He will conduct the Sinfónica de Tenerife and the Ópera de Tenerife-Intermezzo Choir, directed by Pablo Moras.

The tickets are available on the website www.auditoriodetenerife.com, at the auditorium's box office or by dialling the phone number 902 317 327 from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 02:00 p.m. There are discounts for students, unemployed and large families, and for those under 30, the price is 5 euros.

Ópera de Tenerife comunica que, debido a una ligera indisposición de la soprano Ángeles Blancas, el rol de Rusalka será interpretado el próximo martes (día 5) por Vanessa Goikoetxea.

Ópera de Tenerife confía en la plena recuperación de Ángeles Blancas, que afrontará este papel en las otras dos funciones previstas, programadas para el jueves y sábado de la próxima semana.

The Canarian coastline, an eastern palace and a magical atmosphere characterise next week's opera event

The in-house production of the opera Rusalka that Auditorio de Tenerife is preparing is ready for its premiere next week. On 5, 7 and 9 March at 7:30 p.m. The Symphony Hall will offer this show composed by Antonín Dvořák which over two hundred people are working on, including musicians, singers, craftspeople, and the technical and artistic team.

The soprano Ángeles Blancas, plays the starring role. She believes that "the ending of Rusalka is magical, it leaves you breathless" and she is "endlessly" grateful to the Auditorio de Tenerife for being able to do this Rusalka, an immensely beautiful role, which I last performed in 2007”.

“The passing years have helped me to bring greater depth to it, a broader dimension. Now my voice, mind and body are indeed ready to give the character everything that I feel this role needs, which is genuinely dramatic, with very dark and highly powerful tones, even though we are dealing with a young immortal aquatic nymph" reflects Blancas.

The recent winner of the Opera XXI Best Singer award acknowledges that "Rusalka is one of my favourite operas. The music of Dvořák makes you transcend, forget, leap into another dimension...every phrase has a story, none is in vain, and during the entire opera you surf over a sea of beauty”.

It will be the first time that this opera by the Czech composer has been staged on the island, coinciding with the 120^th anniversary of his death. It also marks the debut in Spain of the Brazilian stage director André Heller-Lopes, who proposes a show that ranges between the classic and the contemporary with references to the Canarian coastline, eastern culture and the magic of nature.

This production has been taking shape for months in both Tenerife and other places around the world. As Indian fabrics were needed, part of the stage design was carried out in Italian workshops and several members of the team have travelled from Brazil. Also, there are twenty external companies and professionals linked to the project to carry out different aspects of it, from costume design details to the special effects inherent to audiovisual resources for staging and uncommon prop elements.

Heller-Lopes, the director of the opera, has shared his thoughts on the proposal. He found the idea of changing realities interesting and decided to make it a part of the opera. For instance, in acts one and three, which are usually fantasy worlds, he portrayed them as reality. On the other hand, act two, which takes place in a palace and is designed as a reality,

is a fantasy for the audience. The director also highlighted that the opera's subject matter is relevant to the present times, where there is a lack of communication due to social media, fake news and wars.

Heller-Lopes' team is completed by the set designer Renato Theobaldo, Marcelo Marques' costumes and the lighting designer Gonzalo Córdova. The Brazilian assistant director also undertakes choreographer duties with the dancers from the ballet Centro Internacional de Danza de Tenerife who are participating. The videographer Pedrós created the images that will be screened, and they have a great local component.

The British conductor Paul Daniel is the musical conductor of this show. He will conduct the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra and the Ópera de Tenerife-Intermezzo Choir, directed by Pablo Moras.

In addition to Ángeles Blancas, the cast of Rusalka's three performances includes the bass Vazgen Gazaryan as Vodník, Rusalka's father. The tenor Rodrigo Porras will play the prince with whom Rusalka falls in love. The soprano Magdalena Anna Hofmann plays the role of the foreign princess with whom the prince is infatuated. The witch Jezibaba, who grants Rusalka's wish, will be played by mezzo-soprano Adriana Bignagni Lesca.

The cast is completed by three wood spirits, played by soprano Julietta Aleksanyan and mezzo-sopranos Carmen Artaza and Maria Schellenberg. Baritone Jiří Brückler will take on the roles of a hunter and a forester, while mezzo-soprano Nicole Chirka will be the perceptive kitchen maid.

Rusalka, an opera in three acts, was premiered in 1901. It has a libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil, freely based on the fairy tale Undine (1811) by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué and inspired by The Little Mermaid (1837), the work by Hans Christian Andersen, and other European tales. Rusalka is the most popular of the ten operas that Dvořák composed and the one that earned him an international reputation. The opera is in Czech and will have subtitles in Spanish and English.

Rusalka is a water nymph who falls in love with a prince and asks a witch to turn her into a human so that she can be with him. However, this transformation comes at the cost of losing her voice. The ending of the opera is tragic, which sets it apart from other versions of the same story that are often sugar-coated for children.

The tickets are available on the website www.auditoriodetenerife.com, at the auditorium's box office or by dialling the phone number 902 317 327 from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 02:00 p.m. There are discounts for students, unemployed and large families, and for those under 30, the price is 5 euros.