'Aladdin' and 'The Book of Mormon' triumph in Musical Theater Awards marked by labor calls for | Culture | EUROtoday

There is a phrase that retains repeating itself in any dialog about musical theater in Spain: “We are the third power in the world and the first in Spanish.” And it's true. Every yr, a sturdy billboard proudly shows six or seven blockbusters, primarily in Madrid and Barcelona. However, for a while now, a “but” has been added to the expression throughout the occupation: “We are the great power, but our conditions do not reflect it.” And this was acknowledged yesterday through the gala of the sixteenth version of the Musical Theater Awards held on the Coliseum theatre, which brings collectively the occupation yearly and which equally awarded the blockbusters of Aladdin y The Book of Mormoneach nonetheless on the invoice.

The spokesperson for the calls for was Roc Bernardí, winner of the award for excellent efficiency for his main position within the manufacturing in Aladdin, who, after celebrating the great second of the trade, launched the grievance: “Many compare Madrid with the great meccas of musical theater, London and New York; “What they don't usually compare are the conditions of the workers,” the interpreter protested. To the applause of the room, Bernardí stressed that fear should not prevent us from talking about the injustices that surround them and went on to list a few: “I believe that no member of the cast of large productions should receive the minimum wage established by agreement, which does not “They should cancel us every time we 'go' on vacation,” he reviewed. To which he added: “We are fortunate to be able to work from our passion, but it is still work and the work has to be dignified,” to finish by asking “artistic responsibility from the production companies.”

Bernardí's requests, which passed off in the beginning of the gala, weren’t the one ones. Nil Carbonell, winner of the award for finest supporting actor in The Book of Mormon, He additionally devoted a couple of phrases to the scenario that artists are experiencing: “We usually normalize conditions that are extraordinary, like living with an injury. We are warriors,” he highlighted. The requests of musical theater actors, singers, dancers and musicians for higher situations should not new. In reality, in April the Coordinator of Musical Theater Musicians (CMTM) was created, bringing collectively 250 professionals to protest towards the stagnation of salaries and the shortage of an settlement. But by no means have labor rights taken such a distinguished position on this awards ceremony in such an express method.

Bernardí's speech took heart stage on an evening during which the manufacturing during which he participated, Aladdiny The Book of Mormon They triumphed with 4 awards every. The first, which already triumphed on Broadway and London's West End and based mostly on the Disney movie, triumphed in classes the place it was forward of the others because of the opulence of its clothes and make-up, reminiscent of characterization and costumes. Also musical route, led by the veteran Xavier Torras, who joined the calls for of the musicians and appealed to the producers to not overlook the instrumentalists, more and more changed by pre-recorded sound.

The Book of Mormonwhich parodies faith by its Mormon missionaries despatched to Uganda to evangelise, was acknowledged for its performances and the route of David Serrano, a movie scriptwriter and theater adapter who has additionally directed musicals reminiscent of Billy Elliot, Grease y Matilda. It additionally received essentially the most valuable award: finest musical. And this work, conceived by the creators of the satirical South Park and with music by Robert Lopez, accountable for the songs of Frozen, has burst onto the massive format like a breath of contemporary air amongst so many acquainted musicals.

The goodbye of Dagoll Dagom and the Valencian emergence

The award for finest authentic musical went to the most recent creation of the historic Catalan firm Dagoll Dagom, The pleasure that occurs, based mostly on the 1898 symbolist work by Santiago Rusiñol. The group introduced a couple of months in the past that they might not proceed after 50 years of existence and 34 exhibits, 23 of them musical. They will say goodbye in fashion with Mar i Cel, his most profitable and beloved manufacturing. which could be seen on the Teatre Victoria in Barcelona from September 14 to December 20.

In the class Offthe place essentially the most authentic and inventive proposals transfer, triumphed Bruno, the musical that modified every part, uA present geared toward youngsters that talks about bullying and that’s an instance of the emergence of Valencian musical theater, which is timidly starting to interrupt the hegemony of the 2 largest cities. As Raúl Ibai, organizer of the gala along with choreographer Sonia Dorado, highlights: “We must pay attention to what is done in Valencia, especially in small format and family musicals.” The Phantom of the Opera It was the third most awarded musical, with three statuettes. It stood out in two technical classes and in finest scenography by the Italian Federico Bellone, who transformed the Albéniz stage into the legendary Palais Garnier in Paris.

The second emotional second of the night time got here with the tribute to Raphael. The 81-year-old actor and singer obtained the honorary award from Marta Ribera, an actress overcome with emotion and her co-star in the one musical she has completed in her profession, 24 years in the past: Jekyll & Hyde. “They made me a very happy man because everything was about supporting me and teaching me how to do this job,” he acknowledged on stage. The recognition of the artist from Linares, explains Ibai, is because of his contribution to the dissemination of the musical style with that staging of the American work with music by Frank Wildhorn and a libretto by Leslie Bricusse, which introduced many individuals to the theater who maybe wouldn’t have gone with out the presence of the star, but in addition due to the musical movies that Raphael starred in within the sixties and which whetted the urge for food for the musical to a number of generations.