The words of Jaume Lleixà about Llull

22/11/2018

Jaume Lleixà, Technical Director of Simfònica de Cobla i Corda de Catalunya.

Just a personal note: exactly six years ago, in November 2012, sitting on the steps backstage during a rehearsal break for a show celebrating the centenary of Xavier Montsalvatge at the Girona Auditorium, someone said to me that with the passion I put into my work, I could achieve anything I set my mind to. At that time, in addition to that tribute concert, we were just about to present what would be my first project with the Simfònica de Cobla i Corda de Catalunya, Llegendes del cinema.

If, at that moment, someone had appeared from the future telling us that six years later we would record the opera Llull, which not long before Jaume Cabré and Francesc Cassú, also with great passion, had written together, with the best lyrical singers in the country, and that it would debut with two sell-out performances at the Girona Auditorium as part of the Temporada Alta festival with stage direction by Xavier Albertí, I am certain that, regardless of all the passion we intended to put into it, we would have called security, the police or an ambulance.

Six years after that enlightening moment, what seemed like a dream has now come true. It should be mentioned, however, that this alignment of the stars did not come about by chance: just like Llull, all of us who with our passion intact shared an ideal — to be able to produce this opera — took the notes, the libretto and the score, and delved into this fascinating world of show business until, together, we managed to convert some unbelievers.

I would like to thank Salvador Sunyer for welcoming us into this prestigious international festival; my thanks also to Xavier Albertí for agreeing to put his stamp on this project and for spurring us on; thanks to Jaume and Francesc for this beautiful baby they have delivered; thanks to Narcís and Josep for coming up with the idea; thanks to Eulàlia for making it possible; and thank you to those of you reading this, whether in the album booklet or the programme, for sharing this moment of happiness with all of us.