La vida breve

Composer: Falla, Manuel de

Librettist/Text Author: Fernandez-Shaw, Carlos

Conductor: Maazel, Lorin

Orchestra: Valencian Community Orchestra

Chorus: Valencia Regional Government Choir

Carmela: Ferrandez, Sandra

Grandmother: Corbacho, Maria Luisa

Manuel: Galan, Isaac

Paco: de Leon, Jorge

Saleswoman: Ferrandez, Sandra

Salud: Gallardo-Domas, Cristina

Second Saleswoman: Lunar, Natalia

Uncle Salvador: Bou, Felipe

Voice from the Forge: Lozano Garcia de Piedra, Antonio

Set Designer: Monaco, Giancarlo del

Costume Designer: Ruiz, Jesus

Choreographer: Montero, Goyo

Stage Director: Monaco, Giancarlo del

Television Director: Mancini, Tiziano

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Venue: Palau de les Arts "Reina Sofia", Valencia

Playing Time: 01:20:50

Catalogue Number: A93001779

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Manuel de Falla's short opera La vida breve is perhaps the greatest opera in the entire Spanish repertoire. Premiered in 1913, it is the tragic story of the poor gypsy Salud, whose lover Paco betrays her and plans to wed a wealthy young woman. Though a national monument in Spain, La vida breve is performed less frequently in non-Hispanic nations; to many music lovers, this recording may be the first encounter with a stage production of the work, and Giancarlo del Monaco – known for his splendid productions at the Met – makes it a memorable event. While not rejecting the folklore aspects of the original libretto, del Monaco creates a kind of psychological chamber drama in which the heroine Salud is on stage at all times, as if witnessing her own living nightmare of blood and shame.