In a surprising twist on Christmas, six 19th-century authors— Benito Pérez Galdós, Leopoldo Alas Clarín, Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Ramón María del Valle-Inclán, Emilia Pardo Bazán, and Vicente Blasco Ibáñez—wrote stories about the holidays that reshaped how the festival is imagined today. They explored Christmas through a different lens, far from the familiar carols, family reunions, tinsel, Santa Claus, and bright lights. More than a century later, their tales continue to captivate the popular imagination in new and unexpected ways.
This presentation offers the other side of Christmas through a collection of tales. A set of small masterpieces by nineteenth-century Spanish writers is brought to life under the direction of the Ministry of Culture of Alicante, coordinated by Espacio Seneca with a unique blend of literature, art, and music. The project is described by councilor Antonio Manresa as the first of its kind in Alicante, inviting audiences aged 16 and older to experience a different festive mood.
The exhibit gathers ten stories from the authors mentioned above, chosen by Antonio Ventura and Cesar Martin de la Vega. The visual dimension is provided by art illustrations by Federico Narváez, while the auditory experience features dramatized readings performed by actresses Eloisa Azorín and Claudia Fernández and voiced by radio journalists Carlos Arcaya, Luz Sigüenza, and Denis Rodríguez. The coordination by Miquel Hernandis aims to build a Christmas world accessible on two levels. Visitors who leave their phones behind will encounter Delicado’s illustrations on the panels, while those with smartphones can listen to the readings via QR codes.
The project began about a year ago when Iglú publishing house invited César Martín to create a Christmas book that steps outside clichés. The result comprises ten stories about Christmas from nineteenth-century authors. The editor recalls that these works struck him as having a different spirit from contemporary holiday tales, a tone that invites deeper reflection on the season.
Since the book’s publication, the Ministry of Culture of Alicante expanded the project by taking the work to an international audience. The exhibition runs at Espacio Seneca through January 5, inviting visitors to engage with the texts in new ways and to experience the material on a broader stage. The curator notes that taking a brave artistic risk is essential to this effort.
Federico Narváez, among the country’s leading illustrators, adapted his large-format illustrations for display on the exhibition panels. The project highlights how painting and narrative intersect, with Narváez emphasizing that visual art can carry the book’s storytelling power into a new medium. The recognition Agnès Compostela International Award for Picture Albums underscores the high regard for the artist and the project as a whole. The visuals reveal a range of tonalities, from somber and dramatic to moments of strange beauty, reflecting how Christmas’s meaning has evolved over time.
Recordings were produced over two days at Borumballa Studios in Alicante. The team aimed to preserve the integrity of the original texts, choosing not to alter the prose while bringing the words to life through sound. The creative director explains that the goal was to keep the authors’ voices intact and deliver an authentic auditory experience.
Eloísa Azorín, accustomed to performing in darker Christmas narratives on stage, found the project especially rewarding. She describes the process as an opportunity to immerse herself in the world of sound design and narration, a venture that allowed the text to breathe in a new format. Claudia Fernández adds that the texts felt unconventional, and bringing nineteenth-century authors into a contemporary setting was a true pleasure for her as well.
List of short stories and authors
Organist Master Pérez — Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, 1861
Mule and Ox — Benito Pérez Galdós, 1876
Jackpot — Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, 1887
Fantasy: Christmas Eve in Hell — Emilia Pardo Bazán, 1891
Fantasy: Christmas Eve in Limbo — Emilia Pardo Bazán, 1892
Fantasy: Christmas Eve in Paradise — Emilia Pardo Bazán, 1892
Devil’s Bad Night — Leopoldo Alas Clarín, 1894
King Balthazar — Leopoldo Alas Clarín, 1897
Adoration of Kings — Ramón María del Valle-Inclán, 1902