Z - The Musical of Zorro

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Z - The Musical Of Zorro (original title: Z - The Masked Musical of Zorro ) is a musical by Robert W. Cabell from 1997, the plot of which is based on the dime novel The Curse of Capistrano by Johnston McCulley .

history

The young Diego de la Vega is sent to Spain by his parents, where he is trained to be a fencing master by his grandfather and is also given all sorts of tools for life. After his return to his Californian homeland, he experiences how the people are exploited and harassed by the corrupt governor Juan Carlos and his illegitimate son, Capitan Ramerez. While his father and the other Dons content themselves with letters of protest, Diego decides to take active action against the injustice, puts on the mask of "Zorro" and fights from now on alongside the oppressed against those in power. In order to keep his incognito, Diego plays the slightly idiotic bon vivant in society, which regularly upsets his fiancée Carlotta. She falls in love with Zorro and is overjoyed when, after a number of entanglements, she finds out that Diego and Zorro are one and the same person. But Diego is exposed and overwhelmed. It is Carlotta who gets him out of prison before he is executed. In a final duel, Diego can finally defeat the Capitan, while the people, who have regained courage through their hero, revolt and get rid of despotism.

construction

The actual story is embedded in a framework in which Californian gypsies retell the legend of the folk hero and slip into the individual roles. The three bandoleros Pepe, Jorge and Miguel play the three villains: the governor, the captain and the sergeant, but keep stepping out of their roles to comment on the plot. The figure of the voluptuous landlady Maria gives the piece a Mediterranean-erotic flair. A comical scene like Diego's disguise as a woman and the following duet with the sergeant cheer up the story.

music

The piece has 24 song numbers, including seven choral pieces, as well as an overture and various interludes. The music comes up with flamenco, but also paso doble and tango elements. Some duets have the character of a hit. The men's trio Devil on my Back ( Satan on the neck ) is rather unusual .

Performances

On March 3, 1997, the world premiere, officially dubbed a workshop because of a legal dispute with the American company ZPI, took place at the Producers' Club Theater in New York (USA), with Ron Baker as Diego Vega / Zorro and Ann Hallbrook as Carlotta Mendez under the musical Directed by Wayne Abravanel.

In April and May 1997 there were several concert presentations at the Lambs Theater, directed by Nick Corley, with Sean McDermott as Diego Vega / Zorro and Jodie Langel as Carlotta Mendez.

In 1998 a concept album was produced with Ruben Gomez as Diego Vega / Zorro and Debbie Gibson as Carlotta Mendez.

On February 24, 2000, it premiered at the South Eugene High School Auditorium in Oregon, USA.

On June 13, 2013, the German premiere took place at the Clingenburg Festival in Klingenberg am Main in the German version and directed by Marcel Krohn , with Karl Grunewald as Diego de la Vega / Zorro and Judith Peres as Carlotta Mendez. The musical director was Ralph Scheiner.

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