At the end of the 19th century, two authors from San Sebastian, Serafín Baroja and José Antonio Santesteban, created what was to be the first opera entirely in Basque in history: Pudente.
Our project aims to recover this opera by carrying out musicological work with the collaboration of ERESBIL (Basque Music Archive) aimed at reconstructing it, on the basis of the fragments that have been recovered, on the one hand, and also taking into account the annotations in the libretto itself, which mention the melodies corresponding to each part, and which were arranged by the composer. We have also been helped by the many reviews that were written in the local press and that we have been able to find in digital newspaper archives and old archives.
**Your help is essential for us to be able to complete this important and valuable project.
The basic and main objective of Donostia Opera is to encourage the love of opera and liric singing in general, and favour the knowledge of opera among the population of Donostia and Gipuzkoa as a whole.
In order to achieve our objectives, over the last few years we have been carrying out various activities such as conferences, symposia, concerts and musical performances of all kinds, as well as any other work that could benefit these aims. We believe that, given the musical characteristics of this opera, in which there are many popular melodies that are well known in our region, the achievement of these objectives of dissemination could be really effective.
Main features and goals of the crowdfunding campaign
In a first phase we want to recover the score, make a modern edition and make the necessary arrangements and orchestrations to be able to take it to the stage with our choir, Donostia Opera, which has a solid vocal and interpretative training and a long proven experience, under the stage direction of Agurtzane Intxaurraga, well known and experienced in the theatrical and audiovisual artistic world, and counting with vocal and instrumental figures from our land, in many cases, young local promises that deserve greater diffusion, as we have done on other occasions.
You will have noticed that there is an important economic difference between the minimum and the optimum budget. The explanation is simple. The first phase of the project, which is not cheap, focuses on the recovery and reconstruction, where necessary, of the opera's score. Without that score it is not possible to move on to the next phase, the production of the opera for performance in theatres.
We are generally unaware of the economic effort involved in the production of these musical-theatrical productions. To put it in perspective, we can tell you that this particular opera will involve some 130 people**, several of them are already working on it, others will join in the coming months and during the last three weeks before the premiere they will all come together to carry out the final rehearsals and finishing touches. To all this must be added the costs of the theatre, costumes, make-up, renting instruments and rooms for rehearsals, creating sets, lighting design, and a long etcetera.
The fact that so many people are involved is what makes the optimal budget so high. With your help we will achieve our goal .
Sometimes economic circumstances have made us restrict our activities practically to the capital of Gipuzkoa, but this is a great project and, as such, it deserves a great premiere in Donostia, but also that its representation and knowledge can spread throughout Gipuzkoa, the Basque Country, Navarre, Iparralde...
Over the years, we have also tried to collaborate with people and entities, both public and private, with similar aims to those of our Association. On this occasion, we will make a special effort to achieve the greatest possible dissemination and collaboration.
We encourage you to collaborate in order to recover and disseminate our artistic heritage so that we can enjoy it now and in the future .
Why this is important
We are driven by a passion for opera, we are proud of our language, Basque, and we love our land. Three powerful and sufficient reasons why Pudente seems to us to be the ideal project for achieving our objectives.
We have an enormous desire to make it known, not only to the usual audiences, those who usually go to theatres, but also to those who consider (wrongly, in our humble opinion) that opera is an elitist spectacle. We will try to show them otherwise.
We will also focus on getting young people to come to our performances and to stop considering that this type of show is only for older people.
In addition to all of the above, audiences will be surprised to find in PUDENTE a number of popular tunes that are, even for the youngest, easily recognisable and familiar.
We believe that this can help the less "knowledgeable" to appreciate this musical-theatrical genre and to enjoy a really special show that will leave no one indifferent.
What are you waiting for to lend a hand? Click on the "Co-fund this project" button and remember that, as well as supporting us in the development of this project, for which we are very grateful, you will be able to deduct your contributions from next year's Income Tax Return:
- 35% for taxpayers in Gipuzkoa.
- 30% for taxpayers in Bizkaia.
- 20% for taxpayers in Araba.
- 80% of the first 150 euros of the amount of the contributions and 40% for the rest of the amount exceeding 150 euros for taxpayers in Navarra.
- 10% for taxpayers in other regions.
Team and experience
Donostia Opera is a non-profit organisation created in 2017 with the aim of supporting and promoting opera.
It has its origins in the choir that has regularly participated in the operas organised in Donostia since 2014.
Its members have a proven track record as singers in different prestigious choral groups in Gipuzkoa, the Basque Country and Navarre.
The achievements of recent years are the result of the work and enthusiasm with which the members of the association face the challenge of performing opera choruses.
Over the years, the members of the original Donostia Opera choir have been joined by several opera enthusiasts with the aim of promoting the taste and knowledge of opera in particular and opera in general, in Donostia and in the whole of Gipuzkoa and the Basque Country.
Donostia Opera has collaborated with its choir in the production of 11 operas in Donostia and a musical in Orio.
We have coproduced, in addition, two operas and organised annually, since 2019, concerts to disseminate the repertoire entitled "Divina Opera".
All that remains is for you to join the great Donostia Opera family and make the dream of so many come true.