La Regenta

About

La Regenta is a new opera based on the eponymous novel by Leopoldo Alas, Clarín. World-premiered at Naves del Español (Sala Fernando Arrabal) in October 2023, the production is a co-production of Teatro Real and Teatro Español. Set in the fictional city of Vetusta, it explores desire, social hypocrisy and the abuse of power through Ana Ozores, torn between religion and passion. Conceived for the industrial space of Matadero Madrid, the contemporary staging condenses the action into 90 uninterrupted minutes. A cast of singer-actors portrays Ana, the canon Fermín de Pas and the seducer Álvaro Mesía, with a supporting instrumental ensemble. The opera brings a Spanish realist classic into dialogue with the present, highlighting the enduring clash between private conscience and the community’s moral pressures.