In Durango's Hitz bookstore, it occurred to me that the Saturraran opera deserved criticism. On the one hand, the response of Jose Julián Bakedano, the illusion of the words of Gaizka Olabarri from the bookstore, the illusion of Nekane Bereziartua, who for so many years has been in charge of the Hitz bookstore, to see and listen to this opera… and seeing that the Basque press has not written a word after the opera, here three or four words.

The Amaya de Guridi was first played on May 22, 1920 at the Albia Coliseum in Bilbao. In June 2024, we enjoyed for two days Saturraran, by Kirmen Uribe and Juan Carlos Pérez. The opera has turned a century in silence, at least in Basque. Here's a first thought. On the website of Euskal Kultur Erakundea you can read: “The first ‘Basque’ opera appeared in San Sebastian in 1884, the Kari Carnival. The Pudente is a fun show.” Founded by Serafín Baroja and José Antonio Santesteban. The score has been lost.

At Arriaga we heard the work of Saturraran. On the stage, the fishermen and, above all, two girls. Ane, the fisherman's daughter, and Luna, who had just arrived in the van, were witnesses. Attraction. Beach. A new love. And even newer worlds. I've learned a word from Kirmen Uribe: I've lived. On the stage, I read in English, next to the horse's head. I've been poisoned by the work of Kirmen Uribe. Engantxar. And we've been following very carefully in the form of an opera, the first piece we've created in the 21st century. It takes us to the 1980s. We all have Ondarroa in our head. And singing the script phrases, singing the most versatile singers.

The Bilbao Symphony Orchestra on stage. Performances of the Bilbao Coral. Excellent. Created by Juan Carlos Pérez. You can't call them a song that they hear there. There are not many melodies. There's no song. Interpreters are obliged to sing briefly and concisely. They have made some gesture to the well-known boga, but it is not sung; there is no song.

We Basques are melodic and kantuzals. I have noticed his absence. After the opera, in the conversations we have had in the bars of the old part, more than one has wanted some song. Something. The election of Juan Carlos Pérez, on the contrary, has been stronger than ever. Shore. Like the same situation. I began to reflect for a moment on the fate of the two protagonists, who were honored by those very pleasant moments they had experienced. Ane left peacefully. The sea took him away. Luna stays on the ground. And we, looking at what we saw. Perplexus. A beautiful piece. Excellent scenery. The imagination was shaking. A modern version of the time. With the demands and protests painted in the pared.La most contemporary opera written and created in Basque. This work could be a symbol of Basque culture. Worthy of being taken from Saturrán to the world. Will it be possible? More sessions would be crucial. And the edition of the libretto, on paper, much less. Our language, our people, is worth it.