La Solana hosts 43rd National Week of Zarzuela

The 43rd National Week of Zarzuela has commenced in La Solana, Ciudad Real. Declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest in 2015, the event runs from October 16 to October 25.

The inaugural gala at the Tomás Barrera Theater featured the performance ‘Del chotis al jazz,’ a musical tribute to maestro Francisco Alonso. During the ceremony, soprano Amelia Font was awarded the title of ‘Ama Mayor,’ while actress Rosa Valenty received the ‘Rosa de Azafrán de Oro’ distinction.

Regional authorities, including Carmen Teresa Olmedo, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports for Castilla-La Mancha, praised the Asociación Cultural Amigos de la Zarzuela ‘Federico Romero’ for its decades of work in preserving the lyrical genre. The festival's programming includes works such as ‘Las Leandras,’ ‘La del manojo de rosas,’ and ‘La rosa del azafrán,’ the latter of which is closely linked to the town through the librettist Federico Romero.