After an ovation of several minutes, Plácido Domingo has returned to perform for his compatriots after an absence of a year and a half.

Visibly moved, the singer has fulfilled his desire to sing in Spain

once the most complicated moments of his career have passed

.

During this time, Domingo has had to face accusations of sexual harassment made by several women through a series of reports by the US agency AP, which almost two years later have not materialized in any legal proceeding. In addition, in the middle of last year, the tenor converted into a baritone

had to be admitted to the Mexican city of Acapulco, where he has a residence, because of the covid

. Once recovered, he resumed his activity as a singer and conductor at various European events. But this Wednesday's performance was the first since his performance at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, in autumn 2019. In addition to this recital, on August 18 he will perform at the festive

Starlite in Marbella, accompanied by Ainhoa ​​Arteta

, also present this Wednesday in Madrid.

Both headed the cast of the #VocesResponden gala

for the benefit of the Red Cross and its plan against the coronavirus

, which took place in the National Auditorium.

The Santa Cecilia Classical Orchestra, conducted by Josep Caballé Domenech, has accompanied the vocalists, including Nicholas Brownlee, Jorge de León, Marina Monzó, María José Siri and Virginia Tola.

The bailaora Lucero Tena and the

guitarist Pablo Sáinz-Villegas

, one of the great figures of current Spanish music, have also accompanied Domingo in the celebration of the end of this silence.

The awaited moment took place after the orchestral introduction with Carmen's 'Prelude'. It was

the monologue 'Nemico della patria ?!', from the third act of 'Andrea Chenier'

, by Umberto Giordano, when the now baritone has started with

the first notes that have broken its distance from the stages of our country

. After greeting the public and touching his heart on numerous occasions, the man from Madrid, who has just turned 80, has sealed his reunion with the public in his city by recovering the signs that led him to become the best tenor of all time -According to the BBC-. Namely: prodigious dramatic-interpretive capacities, neat diction and an emotionality that in his case is already marked, but that this afternoon has reached new heights.

The next opportunity has come with the duo '' Madamigella Valéry? ', From' La Traviata ', together with Maria Jose Siri. The sound of a mobile phone before the performance and

the sudden folding of the teacher's lectern in the middle of his performance

(solved with agility of resources by Siri, who has changed it for another next one), have lightened the moment with smiles. Another 'Verdian' duo, in this case 'Simon Boccanegra' has allowed Domingo to defend himself alongside Nicholas Brownlee in 'Piango, perché mi parla'. And to complete the journey through Giuseppe Verdi's operas, 'La forza del destino' with Plácido as Don Carlos di Vargas in 'Invano Alvaro ti celasti al mondo ...', together with Jorge de León.

In between,

Arteta has played Leonora, also from 'La forza del destino'

, in 'Pace, pace mio Dio', while Sáinz-Villegas has recovered the 'Gran Jota' by Francisco Tárrega.

Return of Plácido Domingo to Madrid.EKAITZ FILARMENDI

To close,

the well-known tribute to zarzuela, a genre that the Madrid singer has spread throughout the world

, both alone and with the Three Tenors.

On this occasion, he has corresponded with 'No cantes más la Africana', from 'El duo de la Africana', together with Virginia Tola.

And, as an epilogue to the pre-summer evening, a good number of encores with, finally,

the joint performance of Domingo and Arteta

in the waltz of the operetta 'La viuda joy', by Franz Lehar. Again, as in each of his farewells from the stage, a new acclaim, in this case, even longer

In addition to his performance this Wednesday, Plácido Domingo will take advantage of his stay in his hometown to receive, this Thursday,

the title of Honorary Ambassador of the World Heritage of Spain,

from the hands of Ignacio Buqueras y Bach, president of the

Association for the dissemination and Promotion of the World Heritage of Spain (Adiprope)

.

It will be in a small act at the Teatro Real in Madrid, one of the lyrical temples in which his legend has been forged.

Other illustrious Spaniards, such as the Nobel Prize in Literature Mario Vargas Llosa and the tennis player Rafa Nadal will soon receive the recognition.

Ovation also for Isabel Díaz Ayuso

Although it has not aroused the acclaim of Domingo, the presence of the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has provoked samples of popular support in the form of applause, upon his arrival at the National Auditorium, and with an ovation with the public standing, once inside.

The president, who has shown her support for Domingo on several occasions over the past year and a half, wanted to seal her attitude with this gesture.

In addition to Ayuso, cultural figures such as the RAE academic Juan Luis Cebrián and the general director of the Royal Theater, Ignacio García-Belenguer, have attended the gala.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

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