Teatro Chapí

We went to see a Tango show at the Chapí theatre in Villena on Saturday. Tangos, of course, are Argentinian but, because they are sung in Spanish, they seem to have a sort of Honorary Spanish status. Maybe its a bit like the way we Brits don't consider Hollywood films to be foreign.

The theatre is named for a mid 19th century composer called Ruperto Chapí who was born in Villena. He became famous as a writer of Zarzuelas which are a sort of play and light opera mix with a bit of dancing thrown in for good measure.

I thought the theatre looked "Edwardian", though it was finished in 1924 which would make it George the Fifthian if it had been built in the UK. The Spanish King of the time was Alfonso XIIIth.

The Tango show was pretty good and it was a charity do for the local version of Gamblers Anonymous.