"D. Q.", de La Fura dels Baus, un terremoto en la operística española / "D.Q." by La Fura dels Baus: An earthquake in Spanish opera

By Pablo Meléndez-Haddad

(Article published in the newspaper ABC. Madrid, September 29, 2000)


Tomorrow, the Liceu Opera House Season Opens with Music by José Luis Turina

Is La Fura dels Baus becoming bourgeois, or is the Liceu stepping into the future? That's the question. Tomorrow's premiere of the first opera conceived by the groundbreaking theater group -with a score by José Luis Turina and a libretto by Justo Navarro- aims to make a deep impression on the sensibilities of Liceu audiences. The production even dares to redefine the future of the genre.
"D.Q., Don Quixote in Barcelona" is both a tribute to that immortal literary character, Don Quixote of La Mancha, his creator Miguel de Cervantes, and the operatic genre as a whole. This world premiere, opening the Gran Teatre del Liceu's opera season, is a creation by La Fura dels Baus, with music by José Luis Turina and a libretto by Justo Navarro.
This is the first world premiere to hit the Liceu in over a decade, yet the work does not seem to suffer from the usual "debut-and-farewell syndrome" that often colors contemporary creations; rather, it has unique features that make it stand out. Originally conceived by a theater group and not by a composer, the project has taken shape through the successive contributions of each creative involved in this revolutionary production. Parts of the score even include contributions from amateur composers who submitted their input over the internet, while both the costumes -designed by Chu Uroz, a fashion designer and film production director- and the set design -by the architectural studio of Enric Miralles- bring in professionals from a wide array of disciplines, far from the usual names associated with opera.

A Hopeful Future
The Liceu is expected to restage this work in coming seasons, and the show is also set to premiere at the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville, which co-produces the spectacle, though specific dates have yet to be announced. With nearly all tickets sold out for the nine scheduled performances, the work's budget stands close to 170 million pesetas, and it is presented in memory of set designer Enric Miralles, who passed away a few months ago.
According to Justo Navarro, "This is an opera about time. We are used to seeing Don Quixote as a timeless myth, and we wanted to portray him infected by time so he would not be forgotten. I think people no longer read the novel; today, Don Quixote is just another character in movies or cartoons".
Carles Padrissa from La Fura remarked, "The journey started in 1996, when we staged Atlántida by Falla in Granada. After Salzburg, where we took on Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust, we were convinced that what we wanted was to create an opera from scratch, even choosing the subject ourselves. We leaned toward Don Quixote because it held everything necessary for a reimagining. The opera's three acts represent each part of the novel".
La Fura's creative and formal freedom -"La Fura can never be tamed", as Padrissa says- has found an ideal setting at the Liceu, "which has allowed us to exploit all the technical possibilities of the building", according to Benedetta Tagliabue, co-author of the set design. "D.Q." even utilizes the 16th basement floor of the brand-new scenic tower, though "additional motors had to be purchased", said Àlex Ollé of La Fura. Padrissa also referenced the "Canalla Manifesto" that the Catalan group published in 1984, where they advocated walling off the Liceu as a solution to Culture's financial problems. "Things have changed, and today opera is the most fertile genre for avant-garde creators".
The opera will be performed by two different casts, including Michael Kraus -who replaces Enrique Baquerizo- alongside Flavio Oliver, Francisco Vas, Pilar Jurado, Itxaro Mentxaca, Felipe Bou, and a long roster of other performers, who will share the stage with over a hundred extras and the Chamber Choir of the Palau de la Música Catalana.


A New Collective Creation Attempt That Renews the Genre

This new work, joining the Spanish operatic repertoire, brings a breath of fresh air to the traditional creative process. While the history of opera includes various collective efforts, D.Q. introduces a new approach where the composer, librettist, stage directors, and costume, lighting, set, makeup, video, and prop designers have all formed a "workshop". Despite the strength of this collective effort, which has almost erased the boundaries between the different disciplines involved in this production, and the undeniable interest sparked by La Fura dels Baus's staging, José Luis Turina's score is expected to be a focal point of special attention.
The composer stated that he aimed to "serve the libretto, the story being told, which shaped the composition. The music, like Cervantes' novel, is a grand parody hiding a tragedy, serving the action and blending the tonal language of the past with more current, contemporary styles."
Josep Pons, who will lead the Liceu Symphony from the podium, noted that "the music is brilliant and demands virtuosic work from the musicians and singers. Amplification was necessary in some parts because, due to the set design, the singers lack walls or floors to project sound. Some parts were also pre-recorded, like those submitted via the internet". About four hundred composers contributed online to collaborate with Turina.

Self-Censorship
From the original concept to the work premiering tomorrow, many changes have taken place. "We cut the burning of flags -a Spanish flag, a Catalan senyera, and the coat of arms of Barcelona", notes Carles Padrissa, "though I wouldn't rule it out for a different production. The idea was to portray Spain's plurality and the self-serving cowardice of those "Quixotes' who try to conceal it, as the one doing the burning ended up burning himself. We also wanted to sprinkle the audience with disinfected water when doves flew, but we abandoned that, so people wouldn't think they were getting splashed by bird droppings. I understand [Josep] Caminal's position [the director of the Liceu], who's happy these scenes were left out". As with these controversial scenes, many others were excluded "for budget or logistical reasons".