Entertainment, memory, and the stage: a new Autor Library for Arniches opens in the Cervantes Virtual Library
To celebrate World Theatre Day, a new Autor Library dedicated to the Alicante-based playwright Carlos Arniches was inaugurated within the Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library. The opening emphasizes how theatre should delight audiences while also leaving a lasting, instructive impression that improves life. The idea is to entertain and teach, capturing a memory of a meaningful moment in every performance.
Arniches stands among the most influential Spanish dramatists of the early twentieth century. His prolific body spans many genres, from light farce and grotesque tragedy to comedy and zarzuela. Works such as The Lady from Trevélez, It’s My Man, Petra’s Revenge, and The Caciques are now accessible on the maestro of the short-format stage’s page. The space presents a wide catalog featuring his most emblematic writings in multiple formats, including XML editions, ePub, and reproductions of older editions. Additionally, it provides diverse materials such as the author’s biography, an up-to-date bibliography of his production, and studies focused on his personal and professional trajectory. The portal is enriched with images of Arniches and images from his theatrical creations for readers to explore visually.
The project is described as a collaborative effort that links scholarly work with archival material, creating a resource that preserves and contextualizes Arniches’s legacy. The portal makes it possible to examine the evolution of the author’s voice through different periods and formats, inviting researchers and curious readers alike to engage with the dramaturgy of that era through authentic documents and carefully curated representations. The compilation emphasizes both the cultural significance of Arniches’s stage craft and the practical accessibility of his works for study and enjoyment. Citations accompanying the collection acknowledge the contributions of those who steward Arniches’s memory and provide the materials for this Biblioteca de Autor within the Cervantes platform.
In statements about the portal, the collaboration is described as a source of memory and reference that extends beyond a single generation. It situates Arniches’s writings within a broader historical and literary context, highlighting the enduring relevance of his characterizations, humor, and social observation. The materials invite readers to discover peculiar, delightful, and sometimes provocative pieces that reveal the richness of the author’s output and its impact on Spanish theatre. The collection also includes early contracts, documentation from the author’s early professional life, and other archival items that offer unique windows into the career and the world that shaped his writing.
Readers can explore items such as the first contract Arniches signed for a city registry entry as a writer, credentials related to travel for study, and photographs from his early life, among other artifacts that illuminate the path from aspiring playwright to respected figure in the cultural canon. This curated assortment serves as a bridge between historical memory and contemporary interpretation, enabling audiences to engage with Arniches’s work in a modern digital environment. The project aims to deepen appreciation for the author’s craft and its role in the evolution of Spanish stage traditions, while also making his oeuvre accessible to a global audience of readers and theatre enthusiasts.