La Remolino (1921)
Genre: Lyric Sainete in one act
Libretto: Enrique García Álvarez and Pedro Muñoz Seca
Music: Francisco Alonso
Premiere: March 26, 1921, at the Teatro Novedades in Madrid
Original Cast: María Lacalle (La remolino), Vicente Aparici (Casimiro), López Cumbreras (Serapio), Gómez Bur (Suero), Señora Romero (Venancia), Señora Ripoll (Casilda), Señorita Guzmán (Vecina 1), Señorita Vermejo (Vecina 2), Señor González (Don Melquiades), Señor Alares (Membrillo), Señor Aznares (Ojeda), Señor Toha (Vecino 1 y Robustiano), Señor Zaballos (Retana).
Synopsis: Casimiro and Serapio are two Madrid scoundrels who survive in a wretched attic by exploiting street begging, pretending to be lame, faking traffic accidents, or posing as blind guitarists. Their landlady, Señora Venancia, overcharges them by taking advantage of their alleged blindness. Happiness arrives with La Remolino, Casimiro’s niece, who has just been hired as a leading tiple (soprano) at the Teatro Apolo.
The situation complicates when a forged lottery ticket sold by Casimiro wins a prize. With the neighbors demanding their money, Casimiro fakes a fatal stroke. Determined to recover their funds, the neighbors resort to brutal revival methods—such as burning matches under his nose or mustard poultices applied by the apothecary Suero—all of which the fake deceased endures without blinking.
The entanglement is resolved when the coalman Retana clarifies that everything was a typographical error: the prize belonged to number “15 bare with a stroke.” The finale comes with a last comedic twist when Serapio accidentally drinks the potent medicine from the syringe, ending the show jumping uncontrollably like a grasshopper.
Performance History
- Premiere (1921): 43 consecutive performances at the Teatro Novedades.
- Revivals (1923 and 1924): It moved to the Teatro Apolo in April 1923 and returned to the Teatro Novedades in September 1924 with Aparici’s company.
