The stage at Alicante Arniches Theater becomes a living archive, weaving together theatrical text and musical direction under the stewardship of Pau Alabajos. The show’s design and movement are crafted by Gabriel Ochoa, while the overall production belongs to Barnasants Canco d’Autor, a beacon for Catalan and Iberian musical storytelling. In its latest incarnation, the performance stands as a testament to a culture that values both tradition and experimentation in the performing arts.
Earlier in 2022, the Generalitat Valenciana designated this year as the Year of Fuster, a celebration of the renowned writer Joan Fuster in recognition of his centennial birth. The festival contextualizes his influence by highlighting the interwoven strands of classical music and Nova Cançó within Catalan culture. From this intersection emerges a powerful reflection on the artistic movement that defends Catalan identity and critiques the injustices of Francoist times from the late 1950s onward.
The production also marks a significant moment during Spain’s transition to democracy, a period recalled in the work El tocadiscos de Joan Fuster with new musical direction provided by Pau Alabajos. The staging features texts penned by essayists from Sueca, presented through dramatized interviews performed by trusted collaborator Alfred Picó and a young journalist played by Lara Salvador, whose portrayal brings contemporary voice to the narrative.
By conveying Fuster’s enduring irony, measured skepticism, humanism, and social critique, the show explores questions that were once bold and are still relevant today. It presents a portrait of a moment when creative minds sought to build something new, even while acknowledging that the edifice was never truly complete. The performance invites audiences to consider how literature, music, and political thought can empower civic memory and collective action.
Musicians Laura Navarro, Enrique Jerónimo, Adriana Sena, David Barberá, and Anaís Bueno contribute intimate music moments, supported by clear stagecraft from Gabriel Ochoa. The soundscape relies on strings, a keyboard, and soft percussion, while the scenic, dramatic, interpretive, and spatial elements challenge traditional realism. The result is a form of representation where reason guides the narrative as much as emotion, creating a theatre that feels both intimate and expansive.
The repertoire features emblematic songs performed with new resonance, including pieces associated with Raimon, Lluís Llach, Maria del Mar Bonet, Ovidi Monllort, the collective Al Tall, and Quico Pi de la Serra. Classics such as Diguem no, Companys, no és això, Que volen aquesta gent?, M’aclame a tu, Que vinga la llum, and L’estaca are presented with fresh vocal interpretations that honor their historical weight while inviting contemporary reflection. The result is a shared moment where three singers collaborate to convey a public longing for freedom, drawing a broad and enthusiastic response from the audience at the Arniches venue. [Citat: Program notes and festival materials, 2022 edition]