The Plaza Mayor of Chiclana will transform on the upcoming August 8th, at half-past nine in the evening, into the stage for 'La Verbena de la Paloma', a zarzuela to be performed by around one hundred artists. The event, with free access until full capacity, commemorates the 150th anniversary of Chiclana being granted city status by King Alfonso XII.
The choice of this zarzuela is deliberate, as it includes a famous soleá that directly references the locality: 'In Chiclana I grew up; look for me in Chiclana if I were to get lost,' sung from the Café de Melilla. This mention evokes the Andalusian and flamenco local color, prominent in the cafés cantantes of the late 19th century, and has been studied for its possible connection to the city's fame and its spa resorts at the time.
The city title was granted to Chiclana in 1876, a year that marked a turning point after a difficult start to the century marked by yellow fever and the French invasion. The municipality experienced significant demographic and economic growth, driven by viticulture, market gardens, and the medicinal tourism of its spas, which prompted the royal decision.
Throughout 2026, Chiclana has been celebrating this historic milestone with various cultural and social activities. The August 8th performance, supported by the Fundación Cajasol, Concert Music Festival, and local businesses, represents a significant organizational effort.
The production of 'La Verbena de la Paloma' will involve approximately 100 people, including pianist Manuel González Butrón, singer Rosa Doval, the Asociación Gaditana de Amigos de la Ópera, the coral polifónica Sancti Petri, the theater group from the Municipal School of Arts of Chiclana, actors from Taetro, and the dance group “Son y Compás” led by Javier Sánchez. Musical direction will be by Maestro Francisco José Cintado.
The mayor of Chiclana, José María Román, highlighted the significance of this date, recalling the city's long history since the Phoenician presence and the resurgence in the 19th century. Meanwhile, José Luis Aragón, the official chronicler, suggests that the fame of figures like Francisco Montes, Paquiro, or the city's spa resorts, might explain the mention in the zarzuela.
Tomás Pérez Cruceira, vice-president of the Asociación Gaditana de Amigos de la Ópera (Asgao), explained the qualitative leap of this multidisciplinary production, which combines music, dance, theater, and flamenco with a cast of 100 people on an outdoor stage, as an event befitting what Chiclana deserves.
