Widowed Brides: A New Stage Premiere in Alicante
Alicante’s Main Theater will host a national premiere on September 25, marking the 175th anniversary of its founding with a production titled Widowed Brides. The work, rooted in the memory of the city, is a collaboration between Juan Luis Mira Candel, a writer and theater director from Alicante, and the Teatro Principal de Alicante. The show forms the centerpiece of Mira’s Memory Theater Trilogy, continuing the arc started with Sea of Almond Trees and culminating in this latest text.
The University of Alicante’s Master of Dramatic Art program, in partnership with the Teatro Principal de Alicante, co-produces this piece as part of the 175th anniversary celebrations. A central feature of the festivities is the exhibition and the recently published history book held at Lonja, the theatre’s historic venue. The deputy director, Mary Dolores Padilla, announced the premiere and urged Mira to complete the new text in time for the September staging, emphasizing the local importance and the theater’s lead role in the project. The aim was to create a work that feels deeply Alicante in spirit and sound, with the stage at the core.
Widowed Brides tells the story of two young women who shared a bond formed in wartime heartbreak. Juan Luis Mira explains that both were preparing for marriage when a bombing cut their partners’ lives short. They meet again in a cemetery, their shared grief binding them as they attend weekly gatherings in their wedding gowns to mourn their defeats and to dream of the lives that war denied. The friendship, however, fractures on the day of the bombardment in Port Harbor, as exiles flee to Oran and one of the women ends up in the Teatro Principal, which after the war served as a temporary prison for women who could not be housed elsewhere. Mira envisions this moment on stage, including figures such as Piquer or Angelillo, to share the story with audiences from 2022 as well as those who witnessed 1939.
The dramatic centerpiece features a young widow whose story unfolds through music, as the female-led narrative is performed with the help of a cast that includes actors, musicians, and arrangers under the musical direction of Henry Pedron. The production team, already familiar with Mira’s previous works, is responsible for shaping the final text so that the theatre itself becomes a vital character and the soundscape reflects the era through traditional kopla songs.
“I don’t want to write history,” Mira explains. He is drawn to anonymous protagonists whose voices deserve a stage. The aim is to tell a dramatic story that blends music with intimate moments, delivering emotion and a touch of levity that resonates with contemporary audiences. The balance between history and humanity is central, and the piece seeks to move hearts and elicit smiles at the same time.
For the lead performer, Main Arrarte takes on the challenge of delivering a long, text-rich performance with a powerful solo presence. Mira invited her to participate because of the actress’s ability to carry the narrative with presence and nuance. Pedron finds the project “beautiful” because it invites musicians to bring a dozen songs to life on stage while preserving the integrity of the original couplets and avoiding any mechanical replication.
Rehearsals are slated to begin in the first two weeks of July and will resume in September after the summer break. The production will be executive produced by John Sanderson from the University of Alicante’s Master of Dramatic Art program. Juanjo Llorens will handle lighting design, Julia White will oversee soundscapes and costumes, while Paco Alegre and Remedios Arenas contribute to the overall production design. Mira’s past work includes fifty productions, with several currently touring internationally; Widowed Brides marks the 50th milestone of his prolific career.
Summary and introductions
April 1, 1939. Remedios Planelles Beltrán, age 23, is discovered in a nude scene inside the Teatro Principal that is being used as a temporary prison in Alicante. She wears a wedding dress that has darkened with time, a symbol of hopes turned to ash. She has always dreamed of singing on this stage, but the circumstances are stark. Before an audience that could resemble either 2022 or 1939, the widow recounts a love story woven with memories, couplets, and even a few smiles.
Tickets are now available through the theatre’s official site or at the box office. (Attribution: University of Alicante, Master of Dramatic Art; Teatro Principal de Alicante)
The theatrical project shines a light on Alicante’s historical memory and broadens the scope of the city’s cultural memory. The rehearsal period will also include ongoing collaboration with the university and the local arts community to ensure the work speaks to both historic and contemporary audiences.
The show’s ambition extends beyond the stage. It seeks to illuminate the resilience of women affected by conflict and to connect generations through a shared cultural heritage. As the team notes, the production is more than a performance; it is a living tribute to those who shaped the city’s identities during difficult times.