From Madison to Madrid | Opinion by David Moreno Sáenz

Until yesterday I had no idea where Madison was. I knew it was in the United States, but where, in what state, where was that state? Madison County, not the city, is in Iowa, more than 7,200 kilometers from the center of Spain, but yesterday, on the Gran Via in Madrid, I was able to enjoy (and enjoy a lot) the American Midwest.

When the season of musicals in Madrid began, many of us were very excited about the large number of titles that the Broadway Spanish: Ambitious productions, super shows and big-name musicals came to the capital, but… Were there enough spectators to fill so many theater seats? There are!

Yesterday I went to see The Bridges of Madison and I freaked out. I flipped out with the artists, with the brutal and very complex scenography, with the lighting design, with the live orchestra, with the story…

The plot is cinema history, it is mythical and, although it may seem slow, it enchants, dazzles and enamors. It makes you get attached to the characters, you feel the passion of a forbidden love and your skin crawls with the feeling that Nina, the undisputed protagonist, puts in each of the notes that come out of her mouth. What a great artist we have and what a companion she is surrounded by: Geronimo Rauch stands out on the stage. As always: It doesn’t matter if she plays Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar or Valjean in Les Miserables… It is always iconic. Marta Valverde is delicious, hilarious and bringing a unique freshness to a play that, without her, would be dense. Nando Gonzalez, whom I have seen in numerous occasions in the lead role, goes very unnoticed as a cowboy, but he is a real charmer with his voice and his guitar.

Really… What a great cast! What a musical show! Travel to Madison now that it’s on Gran Via!