A champion of music theatre in all its diversity, Toronto Operetta Theatre presents the Canadian Premiere of the Spanish zarzuela El Huésped del Sevillano (The Guest at the Inn) by Jacinto Guerrero with performances at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts on May 3, 4, 5 (mat), 2024. “As a native-born Puerto Rican, it is a great pleasure for me to be instrumental in bringing this great example of Iberian music theatre to Toronto,” said TOT’s General Director Guillermo Silva-Marin. “Reflecting on the success of our previous Zarzuela productions, our shows will be sung in Spanish by our cast with English surtitles and the dialogue will be in English.”

El Huésped del Sevillano premiered at Teatro Apolo in Madrid in 1926 and was an instant hit. Librettists Enrique Reoyo and Juan Ignacio Luca de Tena provided Guerrero with characters noble, rustic and comic and he responded with his most deeply considered work. The Zarzuela is a ‘play within a play’ and the guest at the inn is none other than Cervantes, watching, absorbing and commenting on the eternal human drama that unfolds before him in Toledo, the center of Castilian Spain’s Golden Age. A complete two-act work, the melodies are endless: El dueto cómico "Si tu fueras pastora", Juan Luis’ "Fiel espada triunfadora", Raquel’s Romanza "La pena me Hace llorar "and the inmortal "Mujer de los negros ojos".

The Zarzuela will be conducted by Kate Carver, who led our immensely successful La Verbena de la Paloma last spring. Kate brings expertise gained from her work with the Canadian Opera Company, the Glenn Gould School and the Wilfrid Laurier University. A favourite with TOT patrons, Mexican/Canadian Tenor Tonatiuh Abrego will be heard as Juan Luis. Tonatiuh has been featured by the COC, with Calgary Opera and in the title role in TOT’s Orpheus in the Underworld. Lucia Santilly is his love interest Rachel making her TOT debut. Diana Di Mauro as Constancia and Alexander Cappellazzo as Rodrigo, are the eternal comedic pair, trying their best to save the day by rescuing the heroine from danger at the Inn. After his Don Hilarion in La Verbena de la Paloma, Stuart Graham returns to TOT as the villain Count Don Diego, relishing as always, playing the bad guy.

TOT’s budget-priced FAMILY NIGHT OUT offers discounts of up to 50% for children and youth under 16 years of age on Friday or Saturday. Single ticket prices range from $75 to $95, with discounts for groups of 20. The company is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council, the Jackman Foundation, the Bedolfe Foundation, the Dalglish Family Foundation, the Marry-Margaret Webb Foundation, and media sponsor Classical 96.3 FM.

All performances at the wheelchair-accessible St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts at 27 Front St. East. Call 416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754 or www.tolive.com. The theatre is convenient for public transportation and parking. For further information, call TOT at 416-922-2912 or visit us at www.torontooperetta.com.