Pastorets de Molins de Rei Molins de Rei

More than 125 years making "Els Pastorets" by Frederic Soler and Hubert "Pitarra"

It is not easy to capture in a few pages the history of more than one hundred and twenty-five years of Pastorets in the town of Molins de Rei.

It seems that at the Teatre de la Peni, from the very Christmas of 1879, the year in which the entity was founded, Els Pastorets were already represented, but it is not specified who was the author of these. It is also not known when those of "Pitarra" began to be represented, although in 1919 (the oldest surviving program) it seems that reference to previous performances was already made. The musical direction, stated in this program, was carried out by the author of the music himself, maestro Miquel Blanch i Roig.

In the program of the year 1926, with a cover illustrated by the local painter Carme Sala i Rodón, where you can read "30 years of growing success of La Cuna de Jesús, 110 representations, progressively perfected, have popularized the Catholic Youth of Molinos de King in all the region”.

The original Pastorets Orchestra

The piano had always been used in the representations of La Cuna de Jesús, and later, also the harmonium to accompany the songs; but in a time of good will and effervescence an attempt was made (with people associated with our entity and who had musical knowledge) to form an orchestra.

The idea came from the improvisation that was done on carnival day, in which, without sheet music, some pieces known to the public, which were in fashion at the time, were performed. On that day the flugelhorn and trumpet musicians made their debut.

What an effect it had to listen to the songs of Els Pastorets accompanied by this ensemble! The tireless maestro, the never-mourned Miquel Blanch Roig, put all his genius as an artist into this preparation, and we could say, officially, the Els Pastorets orchestra was constituted.

They integrated it: with the flugelhorn, Josep Serrat; with the trumpet, Josep Mestres; Joan Domènech Seguí, as he had done up to now, with the harmonium, and also on the piano the same maestro, Miquel Blanch Roig.

Later other volunteers were added, such as Miquel Rubí, with the double bass, and Joan Carreras, who played the clarinet. He took part one season with his violin, the professional musician SR. Miquel Roca, who had not lived in our town for some time. For many years the so-called characters provided their services with plausible disinterest and enthusiasm.

Nowadays

“Els Pastorets” by Frederic Soler “Pitarra” and with music by maestro Miquel Blanch continue to be performed at La Peni Plaza Mercè Rodoreda in Molins de Rei.

The performance is divided into two acts, the first consists of 9 scenes; the second act is 12 scenes.

More than 60 actors and actresses of all ages are currently involved in the cast of this play, with 20 being the main characters in the scenes.

The music is performed live by 5 musicians (violin, flute, clarinet, double bass and piano) with the direction and arrangements of the prestigious musician and composer Joan Monné.

The songs are interpreted by a tenor, two sopranos and hearts.

Groups from the following categories participate in the technical part: scenery, costumes, makeup, characterization, lighting, equipment, council, special effects ( light, fire and smoke ), drivers, stage machine, choreographic direction and dance direction. More than 30 people participate.

The duration of the work is two and a half hours plus a quarter of an hour break for half a break.

Five performances are usually held, approximately coinciding with the Christmas holidays.

The Shepherds of the Villa de Molins de Rei provide various particularities:

• First of all, we must mention that Molins de Rei is one of the only three towns in Catalonia where this text by Frederic Soler and Hubert “ Pitarra ” is represented.
• Secondly, the main character, "Satan", was played a few years ago, for the first time in Catalonia, by a woman. Since then, attempts have been made to get female actresses to play other roles that would be male in the play (San Miguel, Lucifer, Avías,...)
• Another fact is that the characters in the play tend to harbor social criticism, especially from the area of the town, to create hilarious situations.
• For many years, a cuplés contest has been organized for everyone in the town who wants to participate. They are free-themed and the only requirement is that the metric of the lyrics fits into a specific coda of the music of the work. The three best couplets presented are sung in the Garrofa Wedding scene.