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“Goodbye Barcelona”, in the Teatre del Raval

The musical, which saw its premier in London in 2011, recalls the story of the International Brigade soldiers who fought in the Spanish Civil War

Imagine the traditional marches and songs of the International Brigade soldiers who came from all parts of the world to fight in the Spanish Civil War. Now imagine them as part of a musical, and you have Goodbye Barcelona.

Goodbye Barcelona
was premiered in London in 2011 and is now playing in the Catalan capital. The British authors were impressed on reading interviews with elderly men who took part in the International Brigades. So impressed, in fact, that they ended up meeting them in person and decided to create this musical based on their experiences.

The musical’s protagonist is a young man from East London who arrives in Barcelona and comes into contact with other soldiers of different ages and backgrounds. Each of them has a different point of view regarding the implications and ideals of the volunteers, ranging from idealism to virtual disillusionment.

The experiences of these soldiers have been set to music and resemble a melodrama that includes stories about love and learning among people in the absence of telephone or internet and in the middle of a war that would appear to have nothing to do with them.

The inspiring story of the Spanish Republican leader La Pasionaria also weaves its way into the tale and the musical, which has social connotations, serves to commemorate the 75 years since the foundation of the International Brigades, a phenomenon that is considered by the authors and many others to be a unique example of solidarity among peoples.

Publication date: Wednesday, 25 September 2013
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