«Don Juan» en el montaje de la compañía Teatro Clásico de Sevilla
Seville is a city of legends, and also of opera, music and history. More often than not, all of these ingredients are interrelated. Such is the case of Don Juan, a universal figure that has been adapted and represented in a host of different arts and disciplines. Born in Seville. It all began with ‘The Trickster of Seville’ by Tirso de Molina. Then came ‘Don Juan’ by Molière, ‘Don Giovanni’ by Mozart and ‘Don Juan Tenorio’ by Zorrilla, to mention just a few milestones of artistic creation this legend has inspired that demonstrate how Don Juan now forms part of universal culture.
Seductive, quarrelsome and excessive, he ends up showing, however, that love can save us from the flames of hell. And all of this is intimately connected with the city of Seville, an integral part of this local legend which has managed to convert itself into a story belonging to humanity as a whole.
Travellers can follow in the footsteps of the eternal hero by wandering around the Santa Cruz quarter, where Don Juan broke into convents in search of new conquests, while in Plaza de los Refinadores there is a statue dedicated to him. You can also soak up the ambience of this period in the local tapas bars, or discover the figure who inspired the legend, Don Miguel de Mañara (1627-1679) by visiting the hospital for the poor which he founded, La Caridad.
All of these are different ways for visitors to discover more about this universal legend in its actual setting, which often assumes a role as yet another character in the story. Seville and its legends; so peculiar to the city and yet so universal.