Re-premiere of Usandizaga’s ‘La Llama’ opera. Symphony Orchestra of the Basque Country Address: Juan José Ocón. Coral Andra Mari. Address: José Manuel Tife. Soloists: Sabina Puértolas, Mikeldi Atxalandabaso, Damián del Castillo, Elena Barbé, Maite Maruri. Place: Teatro Principal de Vitoria. Date: 16 March.

This year is celebrated the centenary of the death of José María Usandizaga and the Symphony Orchestra of the Basque Country has honoured him with the review, repremiere and recording of his latest work, La Llama. For many, this wonderful work by the Donostian composer has been a surprise, which was very rarely represented: San Sebastian and Madrid in 1918 and Barcelona in 1932. From then on, to know why, never again.

That is why it has been a great idea to retake this work and offer it to the public, because it is a truly brilliant work and therefore deserves another reputation. The critical review was carried out by Juan José Ocón, who, in view of the result, has carried out a work, without a doubt, very commendable. In addition, he was the director of this repremiere, and he noticed the deep knowledge of the work, as he was able to get the best out of the whole team.

Usandizaga was very young when he performed this opera, he was only 27 years old – he died at 28 years old – but the score shows an extraordinary musical maturity. A colorful orchestration, with classical harmony but with a point of modernity, with an impressionist touch, that combines folklore and classicism with elegance… all of that we can find in the music of Usandizaga, and especially in this opera.

In the re-release we found effective interpreters. The Navarre soprano Sabina Puértolas made Tamar an elegant character. His voice is very flexible, thin. It attaches great importance to nuances, which is of interest to their way of interpreting. Great. Mikeldi Atxalandabaso, in the role of Adrián, expressed the intensity at all times, highlighting the dramatic aspect of the character. The delicate song of Donostia Elena Barbé fit perfectly with the character of the spirit of water. Maybe it would be good for him to look a little bit more and to cultivate more gestures. Look at Urbieta Vega did a little role, the one of the narrator, but in a short time he made his brilliant song clear. And the rest of the soloists, Damián del Castillo, Fernando Latorre, Maite Maruri and Xabier Anduaga, young people, offered a vocation of quality. The Coral Andra Mari, as usual, empowered the whole. Let's see if from now on we hear more of this lovely work.