Stage Door News

Toronto: Toronto Operetta Theatre posts video excerpts from the zarzuela “Los Gavilanes”

Thursday, September 10, 2020

A Zarzuela from Spain, LOS GAVILANES (The Sparrow Hawks) tells the story of Juan, who returns to his native village in Spain from Peru as a wealthy man, at last worthy of marriage to his childhood sweetheart Adriana.  Separated for over twenty years, Adriana is unforgiving. In his absence, Adriana had married and is now a widow with a daughter, Rosaura.  Adriana’s mother Leontina proposes that Juan marry Rosaura scandalizing the village.  Juan is hesitant to complicate the situation especially as Rosaura is known to be in love with a young villager called Gustavo.

Filled with glorious Spanish Lyricism and stunning rich harmonies, this production features Guillermo Silva-Marin and some of Canada's most amazing voices to dazzle your ears and eyes in the 2016 Canadian Premiere at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts in Toronto.

Watch scenes from Los Gavilanes (Jacinto Guerrero) performed in April 2016

An archival video of Toronto Operetta Theatre's production of zarzuela
LOS GAVILANES performed from April 27 to May 1, 2016.
Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Toronto

Juan . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..  . . . . . . . . Guillermo Silva-Marin*
Anton, a villager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . Mikhail Shemet
Camilo, Juan’s brother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . Austin Larusson
Renata, Camilo's wife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tamera Newberry
Daniel, a villager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edward Larocque / Brendan Carreiro
Emma, Juan's niece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kari Abraham
Nita, Juan's niece. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Caroline Macdonald
Rosaura, in love with Gustavo . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Forestieri
Clariván, village Mayor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gregory Finney
Triquet, Army Lieutenant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diego Catalá
Adriana, Rosaura’s mother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miriam Khalil*
Gustavo, a villager in love with Rosaura . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . Ernesto Ramírez*
Doña Leontina, Adriana's mother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rosalind McArthur

Stage Director: Guillermo Silva-Marin*
Conductor: Larry Beckwith
*The participation of these Artists are arranged by permission of
Canadian Actors' Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance Opera Theatre Policy (DOT).
Los Gavilanes
Music: Jacinto Guerrero
Libretto: José Ramos Martin

Photo: Miriam Khalil as Adriana. © 2016 Gary Beechey.