Chocolate Paquito: A Pasodoble that Defines Celebrations
The pasodoble known as Chocolate Paquito has become a beloved anthem at Moorish and Christian celebrations. It has woven itself into the fabric of regional festivity so deeply that it is almost a constant presence in festivals where this famous composition is played. A new theater production will premiere in Cocentaina on October 28, inviting audiences to explore the piece that Gustavo Pascual Falcó created and the circumstances surrounding its birth as documented by the General Society of Writers and Editors. It remains the most performed Spanish musical theme in live performance today.
The Cocentaina City Council supports this work as a co-production. Gustavo Pascual, a son of the town born in the twentieth century, is set to be celebrated during the 677th edition of the Fira de Tots Sants. The premiere is announced by the organizers, with the El Teular cultural center, Tyrsova, and the company Vlc Loves Design involved, under the direction of playwright Xavier Lauder who also penned the script. The show recounts the story behind the world famous pasodoble, including the connection to Gustavo Pascual as Paquito el Chocolatero as a brother-in-law and the family context in which the tune was conceived.
The artist’s son, Gustavo, believes the widespread popularity of the pasodoble owes much to its simple, catchy, and easy-to-interpret melody. He emphasizes that the music conveys joy and invites various reinterpretations through history. The original score is reliably preserved in the Museo Festero de Cocentaina, alongside the guitar used by Gustavo Pascual while composing the piece.
The heir to the composer describes the theater production as a musical drama that reflects a life not without its hardships. The elder Pascual faced long-term illness and family opposition to his marriage, a backstory that influenced his most enduring works. In 1937 he was resting at home after a period of recuperation in Alicante when he crafted many pieces for Moorish and Christian celebrations, including the memorable pasodoble that would become a household name.
One summer day in August of that year, Paquito, nicknamed The Chocolatier, visited Gustavo at home. Paquito was also a musician and a vibrant party participant. Gustavo offered to dedicate one of the new pieces to his brother-in-law, and in a moment of playful interaction over the bass drum and cymbals, the happiest tone was chosen. That moment gave birth to the legend of the famous pasodoble.
Gustavo Pascual passed away before turning 37 due to a kidney condition he had suffered from since childhood. His legacy endures in music, marked by milestones such as the masterpiece Chocolate Paquito, a work whose success surpassed his own expectations. His efforts helped shape the formation of groups and the fusion of Cocentaina and Birth of the Contestana Music Union, contributing to a lasting musical landscape in the region.
Tickets for the theater production go on sale this Friday and can be purchased at the Youth House in Cocentaina or through the official sales channel. The staging blends text theater with singing, expressive gestures and integrated audiovisual and illuminated media, while live music is performed by a band that breathes life into pivotal moments in Gustavo Pascual Falcó’s life.
The dramaturgy and stage direction are part of a concert experience conducted by Xavier Lauder, featuring Societat Musical de La Barraca d Aigües Vives under the direction of Agustín Martínez Caballero and Joaquín Ramón Cardona Carbonell. The cast includes Iván Cervera, Jordi Lexi, Vicente Aparicio, Manel Palazón, and actress Inés Coronado, who bring the story to life with energy and heart.