News

El Auditorio de Tenerife Adán Martín puts on Drakaina Draco and the 7 magic seeds, a pedagogical show by Tenerife Danza. With original script and music score, the main characters embark on an adventure and learn about values like friendship, team work and fighting for the environment, in the backdrop of Canary Islands. Performances for school children will take place at the Chamber Hall on 3, 4 and 5 April. This last one is at 18:00 and is open to families.

Drakaina Draco (played by Guacimara Gil), Arbustus Robustus (Mathías Pérez) and Stelli Maris (Irene Álvarez) are determined to find the original seeds of the dragon tree across all seven islands. They want to recover a great dragon tree field, a thermophile forest in danger of extinction. The aim of the play is to encourage environmental awareness and it includes dancing, singing and a funny performance that is sure to catch the attention of the youngest.

Helena Berthelius, director of the learning area of Tenerife Danza, has drawn up a learning guide to help the work done in the classrooms, and she has even met with the teachers of the schools that will enjoy the show. Artist Carmen Cólogan is in charge of the stage design of this imaginary world, whose main character is the dragon tree. Her design is based on one of her own works, which was exhibited in Bosque de islarios, at TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes in 2016. Lanzarote-born Samuel Aguilar wrote the score; the staging and part of the script is by Isabel Díaz; French Christian Toullec designed the lighting; and Leo Martínez is in charge of costumes and props.

Tickets for the family performance on 5 April at 18:00 can be purchased at the box office of Auditorio de Tenerife Adán Martín, from 10:00 to 19:30, from Monday to Saturday; on the Internet through the website www.auditoriodetenerife.com or calling 902 317 327.

El presidente del Cabildo de Tenerife, Carlos Alonso, considera que la iniciativa Musical.IES “es uno de los proyectos más potentes de la estrategia Tenerife 2030”. Alonso hizo esa valoración en el transcurso de la visita que realizó el pasado martes 20 de marzo al Auditorio de Tenerife a uno de los primeros ensayos conjuntos de los 150 jóvenes que participan en esta nueva edición de Musical.IES. y cuyo espectáculo Versus se pondrá en escena el 8 de abril para el público y el 9 de abril habrá dos sesiones matinales destinadas a escolares.

La visita de los representantes del Cabildo coincide con la primera semana de trabajo conjunto de todos los participantes en esta edición, que proceden de los IES Alcalde Bernabé, Chapatal, Teobaldo Power, Viera y Clavijo, Los Naranjeros, Tacoronte Óscar Domínguez, San Nicolás, María Pérez Trujillo, La Laboral y Los Cristianos.

Musical.IES es un proyecto destinado a jóvenes de Educación Secundaria, Bachillerato y Formación Profesional, con el objetivo de formarlos en el género musical mediante talleres de canto, interpretación y danza. A través de este proyecto pedagógico-artístico no sólo se descubren algunas cualidades artísticas innatas de los participantes, sino que se potencia el trabajo en equipo, la autoestima, el esfuerzo, el sentido de la responsabilidad y la creatividad, valores que generan una mejora en su capacidad posterior para incorporarse al mundo laboral.

La rebelión

El musical de este año, Versus, busca ser una puerta a un futuro cercano de cambio y justicia. La directora del proyecto, Melodie Pérez, explica que “en este nuevo mundo iremos a contracorriente de los manuales de historia y en lugar de centrarnos en los grandes acontecimientos, miraremos con lupa a los individuos que existen en lo más profundo de un cambio social”. De esta manera, Versus es un viaje por las luchas y motivaciones de esos individuos anónimos, quienes, según adelanta Pérez, “en un gesto irreverente de amor y tolerancia, se tomaron de la mano con completos desconocidos para formar parte, como chispas, del incendio de la rebelión”.

Carlos Alonso, que felicitó a los jóvenes por el trabajo que están realizando, señaló que “Musical.IES desarrolla el potencial creativo de los jóvenes, los ayuda a trabajar en equipo, los hace mostrarse más abiertos y esos elementos lo convierten en una de las herramientas más potentes de Tenerife 2030”. Por su parte, el director insular de Cultura y Educación, José Luis Rivero, les señaló a los integrantes de esta nueva edición que “disfruten de los momentos de buen rollo que tendrán, son jornadas de mucho trabajo, pero eso también les ayudará a prepararse para la realidad”.  “Una realidad que a veces es dura, difícil e injusta, pero solo los que hablan pueden cambiar las cosas y pueden ser escuchados”, añadió Rivero.

The President of the Cabildo, Carlos Alonso, attends the rehearsal of a show in which 150 youths take part

The President of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Carlos Alonso, believes that the initiative Musical.IES “is one of the major projects of the Tenerife 2030 strategy”. Alonso expressed this opinion during his visit to Auditorio de Tenerife yesterday, [Tuesday, 20]. He saw one of the first joint rehearsals of 150 young people who take part in this year’s Musical.IES., whose show, Versus, will be on stage on 8 April for the general public.  On 9 April, there will be two morning sessions for school children.

Carlos Alonso, who congratulated the youngsters on their work, pointed out that “Musical.IES develops the creative potential in the young, helps them to work as a team, and makes them more outgoing; these elements turn it into one of the most powerful tools of Tenerife 2030”. For his part, the Island Director for Culture and Education, José Luis Rivero, asked the members of this year’s show to “enjoy the moments of good vibes you’ll get; it’s hard work but it’ll help you to prepare for real life”.  “At times, life can be hard, difficult, and unfair, but only those who speak out can change things and can be listened”, Rivero added.

The visit of the Cabildo representatives coincides with the first week of joint work of all the participants, who come from the following secondary schools: IES Alcalde Bernabé, Chapatal, Teobaldo Power, Viera y Clavijo, Los Naranjeros, Tacoronte Óscar Domínguez, San Nicolás, María Pérez Trujillo, La Laboral y Los Cristianos.

Musical.IES is a project for young people in Secondary Schools, Pre-University studies and Professional Training, and it aims to train them in music by means of singing, performing, and dancing workshops. Through this pedagogic-artistic project, not only the inborn artistic qualities of participants are discovered but also team work, self-esteem, effort, sense of responsibility, and creativity are boosted; these values increase their ability to become part of the professional world in the future.

This year’s musical, Versus, aims to be a door to a near future of change and justice. The project’s director, Melodie Pérez, explains that “in this new world, we’ll go against the tide of history manuals and instead of focusing on great events, we’ll take a close look into individuals who live at the deepest end of a social change”. So, Versus is a journey across the struggles and motivations of these individuals who, as Pérez says, “in an irreverent gesture of love and tolerance, will take the hand of perfect strangers to, like sparks, be part of the fire of rebellion”.

Mañana [sábado 17] tendrá lugar la última representación de Don Carlo, dentro de la temporada de ópera, una función en la que se podrá escuchar al italiano Riccardo Zanellato, que interpreta a Felipe II, y que ha recibido en la Isla la noticia de haber sido nominado al premio internacional de ópera Óscar de la lírica en la categoría de Mejor Bajo. En la condición de finalistas, Zanellato comparte el trío de aspirantes con sus compatriotas Marco Spotti y Luca Tittoto.

La presencia de Riccardo Zanellato en Don Carlo significa el debut del italiano en la Isla. Se trata de uno de los actuales referentes que existen para interpretar los papeles de bajo y es invitado regularmente por directores como Riccardo Muti en muchas de las producciones del Teatro de la Ópera de Roma.

Zanellato protagoniza una de las partes del triángulo amoroso sobre el que gira el argumento de Don Carlo. Comparte escenario con su hijo, el infante Carlos -rol que intepreta el tenor José Bros-, y con su tercera mujer, Isabel de Valois, que encarna la soprano canaria Yolanda Auyanet en una coproducción entre Auditorio de Tenerife, Teatro Regio de Parma y Teatro Carlo Felice de Génova.

Don Carlo nos ofrece la comprometida situación de lealtades y pasiones que se encuentra encorsetada por el poder eclesiástico, desarrollándose en un escenario geopolítico marcado por los graves problemas de estabilidad con Flandes. Más de 160 personas participan en esta producción en la que Jader Bignamini es el director musical en el que intervienen la Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife y el Coro de Ópera de Tenerife.

‘Purple Spring’, which starts tomorrow and continues until June, revolves around ‘La traviata’

The Cabildo, through Ópera de Tenerife, and La Laguna University through University Institute on Women Studies and the Cátedra Cultural Pedro García Cabrera, presented on 12 March Purple Spring, a programme whose aim is to train for gender equality values through culture. The scheme revolves around the opera La traviata, to be performed at the Paraninfo in La Laguna University and in Garachico. Details were explained by the President of the Cabildo, Carlos Alonso; the island director for Culture and Education, José Luis Rivero; the director of University Institute on Women Studies, Inmaculada Perdomo, and the intendant of Ópera de Tenerife, Alejandro Abrante.

Carlos Alonso stated that “Purple Spring is an important multidisciplinary scheme that involves a deep process of reflection through culture in general and, specifically, through the opera La traviata, where the main character’s role depicts her disagreement with what society imposes on her”. He also highlighted that this production “takes on the challenges of Tenerife 2030 strategy decentralizing its staging, therefore widening the audience and including more venues”.

José Luis Rivero stressed “the actual importance of women in Ópera de Tenerife, where they are not only present in the artistic teams but also in the management and production areas”, something he highlighted as “constantly seeking to value the talent of women in opera, a traditionally androcentric world”.

Alejandro Abrante expressed his gratitude because “since the beginning, all the institutions involved collaborated closely”, and said that “culture must play an active role in the search for equality”. In this case, “a glance at the recent social-cultural past helps to point the keys toward getting rid of current inequalities”, the intendant added.

To Inmaculada Perdomo, “Purple Spring is a relevant project that will convey to society the keys to building the female world so that equality permeates the community and culture”.

The vice-president of AsLiCo and Teatro Sociale di Como, Giovanna Lomazzi, will give a masterclass entitled Song performing in the world of Verdi on Tuesday, 13 and Wednesday, 14 March. In it she will explain the main keys to both active participants and listeners. It will take place at Sala Puerto in Auditorio de Tenerife and admission is free.

The lecture programme will be held at different venues between 5 April and 28 May. Six outstanding speakers will deal with cultural, social, philosophical, scientific and literary features of the 19th century. Inmaculada Perdomo is starting the series with a talk entitled Construcción de lo femenino. La naturaleza de las mujeres según la ciencia en el siglo XIX, at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

On 20 April, the same venue welcomes the intendant of Ópera de Tenerife, Alejandro Abrante, whose talk is La imagen de lo invisible en el reflejo de las tres mujeres que inspiraron a Verdi en La Traviata: Alphonsine Duplessis, Marguerite Gautier y Violetta Valéry. On 26 April, at the Chamber Music Hall in Auditorio de Tenerife, stage manager Stefania Bonfadelli is presenting Callas revolucionó la interpretación del personaje de Violetta.

Art director at Opera (e)Studio, Giulio Zappa, will talk about Los intríngulis en clave musical de La traviata en teatro verdiano, on 15 May at Aula de Filosofía de la Universidad de La Laguna. Two days later, 17 May, at TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes it is writer Laura Freixas’s turn with Mujeres que sufren, cantan, mueren, callan. Una constante cultural: la exaltación del sufrimiento femenino. The last talk is given by the Professor in Philosophy, Fernando Broncano, on 28 May at Aula de Filosofía de la Universidad de La Laguna, with Lo que ignoran los hombres. La representación de la ignorancia voluntaria.

The last activity scheduled in the programme of Purple Spring will take place at TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, where the American film Camille (1936), directed by George Cukor and based on the novel by Alejandro Dumas will be screened on 25 April.

Download the full program

Programme of Lectures [5 April to 28 May] (In Spanish)

1. Construcción de lo femenino. La naturaleza de las mujeres según la ciencia en el siglo XIX
Inmaculada Perdomo. Directora del IUEM. Profesora titular de Lógica y Filosofía de la Ciencia.
Círculo de Bellas Artes de Santa Cruz de Tenerife
5 April | 19:00 h
[Admission free]

2. La imagen de lo invisible en el reflejo de las tres mujeres que inspiraron a Verdi en La Traviata: Alphonsine Duplessis, Marguerite Gautier y Violetta Valéry.
Alejandro Abrante. Intendente de Ópera de Tenerife.
Círculo de Bellas Artes de Santa Cruz de Tenerife
20 April | 19:00 h
[Admission free]

3. Callas revolucionó la interpretación del personaje de Violetta
Stefania Bonfadelli. Directora de escena
Auditorio de Tenerife | Sala de Cámara
26 April | 19:30 h
[Admission free]

4. Los intríngulis en clave musical de La Traviata en teatro verdiano
Giulio Zappa. Director artístico de Opera (e)Studio | Ópera de Tenerife.
Universidad de La Laguna | Salón de Grados de la Facultad de Filosofía
15 May | 19:00 h
[Admission free]

5. Mujeres que sufren, cantan, mueren, callan. Una constante cultural: la exaltación del sufrimiento femenino.
Laura Freixas. Escritora
TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes | Sala B
17 May |19:00 h
[Admission free]

6. Lo que ignoran los hombres. La representación de la ignorancia voluntaria.
Fernando Broncano. Catedrático de Filosofía de la Ciencia, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Universidad de La Laguna | Aula de Filosofía
28 May | 19:00 h
[Admission free]

Videoforum
Screening of Camille

TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes

25 April | 20:00 h

Auditorio de Tenerife recibe el domingo [día 11] a doscientos músicos de las  cuatro bandas que protagonizan la segunda sesión del ciclo Primavera Musical. El concierto, que tendrá lugar en la Sala de Cámara a las 11:30 horas, contará con la A. M. San Marcos (Tegueste), la A. C. M. Crearte (Tejina), la A. M. C. S. Banda Sinfónica (Los Realejos) y A. M. La Candelaria (Arafo).

Comenzará el programa la Asociación Musical San Marcos Evangelista de Tegueste, bajo la dirección de Alicia Melián Rodríguez, con A mi madre, de Roque Baños; seguida de Alpina Saga, de Thomas Doss; para terminar con Más que nada, de Jorge Ben con arreglos de Naohiro Iwai.

El repertorio continúa con la Asociación Cultural y Musical Crearte de Tejina, dirigida por Marcos Pérez González, que hará sonar Peiró, de Ferrer Ferrán; continuando con Jericho, de Bert Appermont; para finalizar con Duke Elington in Concert, de Paul Murtha.

La Agrupación Musical Cruz Santa Banda Sinfónica de Los Realejos tomará el relevo del espectáculo, bajo la batuta de José Manuel Álvarez Rodríguez, para interpretar Appalachian Overture, de James Barnes; Celo Andaluz (pasodoble), de Pascual Marquina;  y Lord Tullamore, de Carl Wittrock.

Por último, cerrará el concierto la Agrupación Artística Musical La Candelaria de Arafo, dirigida por Carlos Alberto Fernández, con el tema Hijo de la alegría, de J. R. Pascual Villaplana; al que le seguirá Othello, de A. Reed; para culminar el concierto con Canto a Murcia, de F. Alonso

El actual ciclo Primavera Musical, que lleva celebrándose desde 2005, comenzó el pasado día 4 y continuará los domingos 18 y 25 de marzo; 08, 15, 22, 29 de abril; 06 y 13 de mayo; y 03 y 10 de junio. Este proyecto está organizado por la Federación Tinerfeña de Bandas de Música con la colaboración del Cabildo insular.

La Agrupación Musical San Marcos Evangelista nació en 1989 gracias al entusiasmo de un grupo de amantes de la música, teguesteros y vecinos de la comarca, auspiciados por Isidro Ángel González, fundador, y Marcos González Martín, primer director. Pocos años después se creó la academia de la agrupación, que actualmente cuenta con 150 alumnos. Bajo la dirección musical de Alicia Melián Rodríguez y la presidencia de Antonio López González, esta agrupación tiene 35 músicos, 120 socios, una subvención y locales de ensayo del Ayuntamiento de la Villa de Tegueste.

La Asociación Cultural y Musical Crearte U. M. se fundó en 2012 por una treintena de músicos en Tejina bajo la dirección de José Luis Peiró Reig, que duró hasta 2017. La formación ha participado en diferentes certámenes de bandas de música en Tenerife y en toda la programación que pone en marcha la Federación Tinerfeña de Bandas, así como en actividades culturales del pueblo de Tejina y de su municipio, La Laguna, (procesiones, pasacalles, concierto en teatros y al aire libre, etc.). En la actualidad cuenta con 35 músicos y está dirigida por Marcos Perez Gonzalez.

La Agrupación Musical Cruz Santa nació en 1938 con Luis González de presidente y fundador, y el cura José Arvelo de maestro de solfeo. Desapareció en 1945 por falta de recursos pero en 1987 José Mesa Cabrera y un grupo de músicos y amigos se unieron y refundaron la actual banda. José Mesa falleció en 1995, relevándole  hasta la actualidad José Manuel Álvarez Rodríguez como director de la agrupación, con casi 80 músicos, y de la academia, con un centenar de alumnos. En 2015 publicaron su primer disco, Acordes de ayer y hoy. El presidente, Moisés Barroso González, y su grupo directivo trabajan en la celebración del 80 aniversario de la agrupación, que será en este 2018.

La Agrupación Artística Musical La Candelaria de Arafo se fundó en 1926 y, tras algunas actuaciones, estrenó su uniformidad en Igueste de 1927. En 2001 celebró el 75º aniversario de su primera actuación en la procesión de la patrona de Canarias en Candelaria, entregándosele un reconocimiento del Ayuntamiento. En 2017, ya con 80 músicos, la banda organizó un congreso musical. Además, ha estrenado dos obras: el pasodoble Haroldo Santos Lito, de Rubén Martínez, dedicado al miembro más antiguo de la agrupación, y Magmático, para banda y guitarra, de Francisco Yánez, interpretada por Tomás Fariña.

Auditorio de Tenerife acoge mañana [sábado 10] el concierto de agrupaciones, conjuntos y ensambles de alumnos del Conservatorio Profesional de Música de Santa Cruz de Tenerife.  La Sala de Cámara alojará el encuentro a partir de las 18:00 horas con entrada libre hasta completar aforo.

Este espectáculo de dos horas de duración busca demostrar el nivel y trabajo realizado por los estudiantes y el profesorado del centro. El repertorio elegido es muy variado, ya que hará sonar desde los temas más clásicos, pasando por folclore canario y jazz, hasta llegar a canciones actuales.

Abrirá la cita musical un conjunto de percusión dirigido por Emilio Díaz. Este grupo, formado por nueve alumnos de tercero y cuarto de Enseñanza Profesional, tocará Pizzicato polka, de Strauss con arreglos de E. Remsen; Concierto para clarinete en La k622, de W. A. Mozart con arreglos de Emilio Díaz, y con Moisés Évora de La Rosa como solista; y terminarán con Kawf Dooda Code, de C. Crockarell.

Tras esta primera actuación, tomará el relevo una formación de guitarras con 20 alumnos de primero a cuarto de Enseñanza Profesional, liderados por Inés Delgado. Comenzarán tocando Introducción au tango, de O. Bensa; para continuar con un tema de Star Wars, de John Williams; y terminarán con Alla Turca (Sonata KV 331), de W. A. Mozart.

Seguidamente, y bajo la dirección de José Luis Cebolla, 23 alumnos del conjunto de flautas, pertenecientes a todos los cursos de Enseñanza Profesional, harán sonar Pizzicati del Ballet de Sylvia, de L. Delibes; Marcha fúnebre a una marioneta, de Gounod; y Danza Macabra, de Saint-Saëns.

La cuerda se hará con la Sala de Cámara con un cuarteto compuesto por Marina Montero Torres (violín), Carla Meléndez Ledesma (violín), Georgy Mikheile (viola) y Jairo Rodríguez Visuerte (violonchelo), que tocará Cuarteto Op. 76  nº 2, de Joseph Haydn.

El segundo conjunto de cámara del concierto tomará el hilo del espectáculo. Se trata de un trío de dos flautas, Sara Marrero Pérez y Carmen Delia Perdomo Amaral, y un piano, Ángel Cortés Ramos, que interpretará Andante Op. 2, de Franz Doppler.

Por último, cerrará el acto el ensamble de saxofones dirigido por Orestes de Armas. Una veintena de alumnos de enseñanza profesional harán sonar variaciones sobre un tema popular herreño con arreglos de Orestes de Armas; The Ludlows (Legends of the fall), de James Horner,  también con arreglos realizados por De Armas y con el pianista Mario Alba; Aires Rumanos, de Pedro Iturralde, con los solistas Orestes de Armas y Alexis Fernández; y It don't mean a Thing, de Duke Ellington con arreglos también del propio director del ensamble.

Conductor Javier Busto spent a weekend on the island and learnt about the choir programmes of Cabildo de Tenerife. The Basque composer paid a visit to the students at the Choir School, gave a master class in the course on Choir Direction and took part in a rehearsal of Auditorio de Tenerife Young Choir, thus giving his support to the plan of action for choirs established by the Tenerife 2030 strategy.

“Except for the Basque Country and Catalonia, the support to choir singing in the rest of Spain is very low or non-existent; that’s why what’s happening in Tenerife, the public interest, is very important”, stated Busto at the end of his visit. “I was surprised at the excellent attitude I’ve seen at this auditorium. I’d be pleased to come back, it’s a real pleasure to work with people who want to work”, he added. 

His stay in Tenerife started on Friday with a visit to three groups of the Choir School, paying particular attention to students aged between 13 and 15. He was delighted with the experience. “They have wonderful energy, I was very happy”, Busto said.  

The following day he gave a three-hour master class at the fourth session of the Choir Direction Course of Tenerife Choir Network, where he took Kanta, kanta, dezagun, his own arrangement of a popular Basque song. 

Finally, he attended the Sunday rehearsal of Auditorio de Tenerife Young Choir, about which Busto said “it’s wonderful, well-trained and disciplined”. “I’ve been able to do what I’d planned and for a director, getting to do what he’d prepared for a group is great, as you can see their response”, the musician reflected.

Busto was concerned about the lack of an official popular song book in the Canaries and encouraged the attendees to make new arrangements of the music from the islands. In his opinion, “people don’t know much about music but when a choir sings well, they perceive something’s happened. Provoking that “something” in the audience is fundamental”. 

The director and composer highlighted the work done by Roxana Schmunk, (director of the Choir School and the Young Choir, and coordinator of Tenerife Choir Network), with the students: “This choir is very well trained in emotions and that’s not easy to find”.

Cabildo de Tenerife runs three programmes for choir singing: the Choir School, which includes four groups aged between 6 and 25; Tenerife Choir Network, a project encompassing 16 groups whose aim is to create a common platform to bring together and promote choral activity on the Island; and Auditorio de Tenerife Young Choir, set up in 2016 and directed by Roxana Schmunk. This group won the Canaries Choir Competition in 2017 and were awarded two prizes at the Festival Coros de Verão in Lisbon 2017.

On Sunday, 4th March, Auditorio de Tenerife welcomes the first four music bands of the Musical Spring series, an initiative of the Island Federation of Tenerife Music Bands, supported by the Cabildo. The opening concert, to take place at the Chamber Music Hall at 11:30 am, includes performances by the groups A. M. Aída (San Andrés, Santa Cruz de Tenerife), S. M. Filarmónica (Los Realejos), A. M. La Esperanza (La Guancha), and A. M. Nivaria (Arafo).

The programme starts with Asociación Cultural y Recreativa Unión Musical Aída de San Andrés, conducted by Juan Alexis González Rodríguez. They will play Reige (Moorish March), by José María Ferrero Pastor; followed by Burbujas del sentido (Symphonic impression), by Ferrer Ferrán; and will end with Jordi (Paso doble), by José Rafael Pascual Vilaplana.

The next band to play is Sociedad Musical Filarmónica de Los Realejos, conducted by Francisco José Hernández Padrón. They will interpret Caballleros de Navarra (Christian March), by Ignacio Sánchez Navarro; Monte Medulio (Symphonic Poem), by Andrés Álvarez; Arabesque, by Samuel R. Hazo; and finally, Centenari Musical (Paso doble), by Ramon Garcia i Soler.

It is then the turn of Asociación Musical La Esperanza de La Guancha to perform under the baton of Jesús Agomar González Guillama. They will play Arsenal (Concert March), by Jan van der Roost; El príncipe de Egipto, by Shwart and arranged by Jay Bocook; and Arabesque (fantasy), by Samuel R. Hazo.

To close the concert, the Asociación Musical Nivaria, conducted by Miguel Ángel Expósito Marrero, is offering two pieces by Ferrer Ferrán: Roberto García Curbelo (Concert Paso doble) and Arafo, Ensueño de un Paraíso (Symphonic impression for wind orchestra).

The A. M. Aída (San Andrés) was founded in 1981 by Vicente Esteban Fariña Fariña, a musician and composer born in Arafo, Tenerife. This group performs in neighbourhoods and villages in Tenerife, taking part in processions, passacaglia, concerts, contests, etc. They have also played in Santa Cruz de La Palma and in Villa de Ingenio, in Gran Canaria. Apart from the founder, the group has had several musical directors before their current leader, Juan Alexis González Rodríguez, who came on board in 2011. At present they have 32 musicians and a music school with 25 students. 

The S. M. Filarmónica de los Realejos was established in 1847 and had Felipe Machado y Benítez de Lugo as its first conductor. Since October 2008, Tenerife-born Francisco José Hernández Padrón has been in charge of the band. They were awarded Isla de Tenerife Gold Medal by the Cabildo in 2010 for their contribution to spread the culture and values of Los Realejos, as this is the oldest music band in the Canaries. They have performed twice at Valencia fallas, and the band is made up of fifty members and nearly 80 students in their school. 

Agrupación Musical La Esperanza from La Guancha was set up in 1924 and has more than 50 members who play under the artistic direction of musician and composer Jesús Agomar González Guillama. The Patronato de Música XVIII de Enero runs the Group and the Escuela Municipal de La Guancha. In 2014, they were awarded the Gold Medal of La Guancha for their merits throughout their 90 years of existence. In 2017 the band received the Gold Medal of Tenerife at a memorable concert at the Concert Hall in Auditorio de Tenerife.

The Sociedad Filarmónica Nivaria, which made its debut on the esplanade at the Arafo Church in 1860, played in the proclamation events of the First Republic in 1873; also at King Alfonso XIII arrival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1906 and during the installation of the telegraphic cable from Cadiz to Santa Cruz in 1833. The band has also performed at Valencia fallas on several occasions and has the Island of Tenerife Gold Medal and the Gold Medal of Villa de Arafo. The band is currently directed by Miguel Ángel Expósito Marrero, has 90 musicians and 120 students in their school.

Ópera de Tenerife opens the 2018 opera programme with Giuseppe Verdi’s Don Carlo, to be performed in the Concert Hall of Auditorio de Tenerife on 10, 14 and 17 March at 19:30.
The island Director for Culture, José Luis Rivero, attended the presentation of the opera along with the Vice-councillor for Culture and Sport of the Government of the Canary Islands, Aurelio González; the intendant of Ópera de Tenerife, Alejandro Abrante, and the lead singers of this historical drama, José Bros and Yolanda Auyanet, who will play the roles of Don Carlo and Isabel de Valois, respectively.
José Luis Rivero stated that “this is a great opera production, which is the result of the international collaboration of Ópera de Tenerife, which means it is a high quality cultural product backed by the work of local, national and international professionals”, to then go on to encourage people to come to Auditorio de Tenerife “so that you can have a brief break and connect with culture through music”.
In Alejandro Abrante’s opinion, this is “a very good production that is performed in Tenerife for the first time in 30 years. The audience can enjoy costume and stage design that faithfully captures the atmosphere of recollection that prevailed in the court of Felipe II”. “Cesare Lievi’s stage management, set in the marble tomb of Emperor Charles V, is inspired in the spirituality of the Spanish Golden Age, taking as a reference Saint Teresa of Ávila or El Greco”, he added.

The Vice-councillor Aurelio González congratulated himself on the quality of this new production to be performed at Auditorio de Tenerife next week and expressed “the intention of the Government of the Canary Islands to reinforce the internationalization of Ópera de Tenerife, which is a success for the Canaries and their culture”.

Soprano Yolanda Auyanet, expressed “her happiness to be on the stage of Auditorio de Tenerife once again”, and highlighted “that a great number of people outside the island follow the work done by Ópera de Tenerife”. Her stage partner, tenor José Bros also remarked “he was deeply grateful to be back on the island”, and underlined that “the beautiful feelings to be enjoyed with this opera through the emotions it conveys”.

This co-production with Teatro Regio de Parma and Teatro Carlo Felice from Genoa is one of the great operas of the Italian maestro and tells the dramatic story between King Felipe II and his son, Infante Carlos, who falls in love with the monarch’s third wife, Isabel de Valois. This awkward situation of loyalty and passion is framed by the ecclesiastical power and takes place during the Renaissance, when the House of Habsburg had serious territorial conflicts with Flanders.

Giuseppe Verdi’s composition was first performed in 1867, but deals with issues which are also most relevant today like the struggle between love –both personal and patriotic- and oppression- both political and religious, in the backdrop of fragile territorial balance between the royal houses of Habsburg and Valois. In addition, new religious interpretations emerged which led to frictions between the established theocratic order and the secession process in Flanders.

As part of the Purple Spring Scheme, Cabildo de Tenerife, through Ópera de Tenerife, has arranged a masterclass in song performing to be delivered by the vice-president of the AsLiCo Association and the Teatro Sociale di Como, Giovanna Lomazzi. The masterclass will take place on 13 and 14 March from 10:00 to 14:00 in the Sala Puerto at Auditorio de Tenerife, and you can take part either as:

Active participant: 10 places. You can sign up via our e-mail address. Enrolment deadline: 06 March at 23:59

or

Listener: admission free while seats are available

Both systems are free of charge.

Giovanna Lomazzi:

Milanese Giovanna Lomazzi has worked in different music institutions where she has held high level executive positions in different departments including press office, public relations and artistic management. Since 2000 she has been the vice-president of the AsLiCo Association and the Teatro Sociale di Como, the institution which organizes the competition for young European singers, the oldest and most important contest in Europe that will be held for the 70th time next year. In the opera world she is considered to be a young artists’ talent spotter.

Purple Spring:

Cabildo de Tenerife is fostering, through Ópera de Tenerife in collaboration with Instituto Universitario de Estudios de las Mujeres of La Laguna University and the Cátedra Cultural Pedro García Cabrera of La Laguna University, an interdisciplinary programme of activities called “Purple Spring” whose aim is to teach gender equality values through culture.
Between March and June, a series of conferences, master classes and video-forums will take place around Verdi’s opera La Traviata, dealing with social issues, androcentric culture and musical expression from the 19th century to the present day.

Master class: 13 & 14 March | From 10:00 to 14:00 h

Auditorio de Tenerife | Sala Puerto

Song performing in the world of Verdi.

Cabildo de Tenerife has started the fifth Danza en Comunidad project, which encourages the integration of different social groups through artistic processes. Their first meeting took place at Auditorio de Tenerife where they revealed the main details of the lines of work this learning and social project will develop during the year.

The managing director of Auditorio de Tenerife, Daniel Cerezo, and the coordinator of Danza en Comunidad, Laura Marrero, welcomed the participants and thank them for taking part in the scheme, which grows every year as evidenced by the fact it only included two groups when it started as a pilot project five years ago, and now takes in 21 different communities.

For this fifth year, the following associations have joined in: Asociación Aldis, Asociación Orobal, from Los Cristianos, Casa de Acogida Madre del Redentor, from El Sauzal. Decentralization of cultural activities like this, which spread across the Island, is one of the aims of the project, which is part of the Cabildo de Tenerife 2030 Strategy. Danza en Comunidad has three collaborating artistic communities: Teatro Victoria (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Festival Cuadernos Escénicos (Garachico) and Escuela de Actores de Canarias (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), which contribute with meetings, venues and professionals.

Danza en Comunidad, where experts Raquel Jara, Carmen Macías, Cristina Hernández and Laura Marrero take part, is one of the three parts of Tenerife Danza, and it includes learning and artistic areas. The method used is to start with meetings on theoretical issues to then go on to practical sessions which end up in a show put on by the members of the group. Every group has its own action line. The idea is “for them to share with us the full experience of a dance professional”, Laura Marrero explains.

The project, which continues throughout the year, allows people who start dancing through these groups, to take part individually in the following seasons by attending weekly meetings at Auditorio de Tenerife.