Between July 1 and August 27, 2023, the 69th edition of the Mérida International Classical Theater Festival will take place. Jesús Cimarro is leading the management and direction through the company Pentación Espectáculos, just like the last 11 editions. On this occasion, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Festival’s inauguration in 1933, the Teatro Romano de Mérida will host 10 shows, highlighting comedy as a genre. The shows will be repeated again at the Teatro María Luisa and in the cities of Madrid, Medellín, Regina and Cáparra with a total of 19 shows.
This year, the Festival will kick off its inauguration on July 1 with the Zaragoza Chamber Orchestra (Enigma Group) playing Oresteïa (Orestíada), by Iannis Xenaquis and texts by Aeschylus.
To celebrate the anniversary of one of the most successful comedies of the Roman Theatre, on July 2 there will be a special performance by Verbo Producciones, Los Gemelos, a production which premiered at the last edition of the Merida Festival.
Comedy is a fundamental pillar of this year’s edition and will be brought to the stage by El Terrat who will put on Las asambleístas. This version of the Aristophanes classic stars Silvia Abril and will be staged from July 5 to 9 at the Teatro Romano.
The second company from Extremadura to take to the stages of the 69th edition will be Rodetacón Teatro performing the musical Los Titanes. A Fúria de los Dioses (from July 12 to 16), with a cast of artists headed by Daniel Diges and Ramoncín.
Next, the Centro Dramático Galego’s show Shakespeare em Roma will premiere at the Mérida Festival this year on July 18 and 19. It is a compilation of Shakespeare’s Roman-themed works.
From July 21 to 23, dance will once again be present at this 69th edition with Pandataria, which will feature high caliber performers like Cayetana Guillén Cuervo, Chevi Muraday and Elio Toffana.
Pepe Viyuela will return to the Mérida Festival from July 26 to 30 to star in the comedy that will close the July schedule,Las Nubes. He will star in this version of the work by Aristophanes, alongside Mariano Peña and under the direction of Paco Mir.
The second part of the Festival will also start from August 2 to 6 with the comedy, La comedia de los errores. It is a co-production of the Mérida Festival and Mixtolobo, and is written by William Shakespeare, directed by Andrés Lima, and stars Pepón Nieto, Antonio Pagudo, Fernando Soto, Avelino Piedad, Esteban Garrido and Rulo Pardo.
Salomé is a co-production of the Festival de Mérida and Pentación Espectáculos which will be exhibited from August 9 to 20 at the Teatro Romano. Its texts and direction are by Magüi Mira and the production stars Belén Rueda, Pablo Puyol, Luisa Martín and Juan Fernández.
The third show from Extremadura of the 69th edition will close the Roman Theater program with El regalo de Zeus, a text by Concha Rodríguez which stars Emma Ozores and Juan Meseguer. It is a co-production of the Mérida Festival, Entrearte Al-Badulaque and La Estampa Teatro.
After its reopening and inauguration in the last edition, the María Luisa Theater will once more be the official stage of the Mérida Festival, hosting 7 shows: Medea, a co-production with the Juan March Foundation, República de Roma, Por todos los dioses, a monologue starring Fernando Cayo, Oedipus from Teatro del Temple, Clytemnestra, performed by Cristina Castaño, a show that returns to the Festival after premiering in Medellín and Cáparra in 2020, En mitad de tanto fuego, a monologue written by Alberto Conejero and directed by Xavier Alberti, and Odisea, a show by the company Crea Dance, by María Rovira.
For yet another year we will have Festival venues in Madrid, Medellín, Regina and Cáparra where patrons will be able to see some of the successful plays from the last edition such as La tumba de Antígona, El aroma de Roma, Miles Gloriosus, Que Salga Aristófanes! Clytemnestra and Cayo César have also been recovered from other editions of the Festival, and in addition, a new show will come from ONCE: Lysistrata.
In addition, this year the Festival broadens its horizons with a play in Plasencia. Here the Aquiles parade will be hosted by the La Fam company, which walked the streets of Mérida in the 67th edition (year 2021).
Many different activities such as courses, exhibitions, and workshops for children and families, including the Poseidon Marine Kingdom parade, will be held in different areas of the city. Just like in previous editions, the Festival will be inclusive, by providing audio described performances, subtitles, hearing loops and headphone amplification at the Teatro Romano and its other venues.
This year, the Mérida International Classical Theater Festival celebrates its 90th birthday with the staging of Seneca’s Medea, in a version by Miguel de Unamuno and starring the actress Margarita Xirgu. Since 1933 the Merida Festival’s Roman Theater has hosted performances of great comedies, as well as Greek and Roman tragedies as an honorary witness to the history of the Performing Arts that began 20 centuries ago. For this reason, this year, we want the public to enjoy and celebrate Mérida in a ceremony for the senses.