Vicente Martín y Soler

Teatro Real, Madrid 2007 & Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona 2011

I was thrilled to direct this rarely performed comic opera by Vicente Martín y Soler, with a libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte based on Carlo Goldoni’s delightful French comedy Le bourru bienfaisant. Originally premiered in Vienna in 1786—the same year Mozart was writing his da Ponte operas—this charming work hadn’t been seen in Madrid for over two centuries.

For this production, I brought a contemporary touch to the comedy by setting the story in a modest establishment, halfway between a hotel and an inn, to emphasise that the family at the centre of the plot is middle class—neither aristocratic as in tragedies nor popular as in farces. This choice allowed me to highlight the very human and relatable nature of the characters, whose challenges revolve around everyday issues like financial collapse and misunderstandings, yet always lead to a happy ending.

The Madrid premiere in 2007, conducted by Christophe Rousset with the exceptional Teatro Real Orchestra and a wonderful cast of eight talented singers, was a joy. When we remounted the production at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona in 2011, Jordi Savall’s musical direction brought out the rhythmic vitality and melodic grace of Martín y Soler’s music, which is further enriched by the beautiful arias that Mozart added for the character of Lucilla in 1789. Working alongside Savall, I wanted to bring authenticity and depth to this comedy while keeping the light-hearted spirit that makes it so endearing.

The Madrid production was subsequently released on DVD by Dynamic.