The Company started in March, 2000, on the initiative of Pilar Montoya, harpsichordist and historical dancer, in reaction to the lack of companies of these characteristics in Spain for the staging of renaissance or baroque spectacles.
Owing to the magnitude of the project and after two years of detailed study and musical, choreographic and iconographic document collection faithful to historical reality, the debut was made in September, 2002 with “Amor y Desamor” which was very well received by both the public and the press in Zaragoza.
Since then, “Los Comediantes del Arte” have performed in important cultural events, among which we should, perhaps, highlight their presence in “Salamanca 2002, Capital Europea de la Cultura” with the programme “Soirée d’Appartement” which was made up of French baroque music and dance; “Con Mudanzas y Meneos”, spectacle created for the 400th anniversary of the publication of Don Quixote and whose premiere took place in Santander in a cycle organised by the “Aula de Música de la Universidad de Cantabria” and was presented again in the “Semana de Música Antigua de Mataró” with great success; “Luigi Boccherini: un italiano en Madrid”, a concert in homage to the brilliant composer on the 200th anniversary of his death and included in the acts of commemoration, and “The Marriage of Music and Dance”, spectacle presented in the Capitol Theatre of Calatayud and which offered an excursion through three centuries of some of the most important European choreographic styles, "II Edición del Festival de Música Sacra" (Zaragoza) with Esplendor en las Catedrales Europeas a finales del 1600, Ciclo de Teatro “Parla en Clásico” and IX Festival de Música Antigua de Cáceres, etc.
Among its projects for the near future, the company will be perform a recreation of a Fiesta Sacra Barroca in Latin America.
The Company of Historical Dance, “Los Comediantes del Arte”, a group of special characteristics which is not very usual in Spain, is dedicated to the reconstruction and recreation with historical criteria of early dance covering a period of approximately three centuries. Its members come from various fields of historical interpretation both in the World of music as in that of dance and in this way “Los Comediantes del Arte” has been able to bring together recognised specialists in order to achieve the fusion of both arts in a unique and inseparable scenic event.
The Group is made up of six musicians, although this number may vary according to the necessities of the programme, and four dancers. The latter are multifaceted artists: three of them are also musicians and the other is an actor.
The Company of historical music and dance, “Los Comediantes del Arte”, has no archaeological intentions but rather sets out to transmit an important part of the European, and especially the Spanish, musical and choreographic heritage which has remained almost unknown until now.
One of the main aims of “Los Comediantes del Arte” is to offer spectacles which are faithful to the historical reality they set out to reflect. This is why its method of work mainly consists in the study and investigation of original sources.
The Company’s wardrobe is inspired by engravings, pictures or designs specially created for the performances of the period. The musical and choreographic material has been taken from original sources or, failing that, corresponds to reconstructions based on dance treatises. With regard to the drama and gesture, the most historical approach possible has been made and our sources have been the writers Austin, Lang and Michaelis as well the ample literature available today, principally the compendium, “The Art of Gesture: The practices and principles of 18th century acting” by D. Barnett.
Violinist and historic dancer born in Zaragoza. She commenced her studies in the Professional Conservatory of Zaragoza with Rafael Lozano and Pedro Gimeno. She was granted a scholarship by the Higher Conservatory of San Sebastian to continue her studies and obtained the Higher Certificate of Violin and Chamber Music with Mª Angeles Echeveste and Cristiam Ifrim.
She has participated in many music courses and formed part of diverse orchestral groups; f ounding member of the Orquesta Sinfónica Aragón, Orquesta de Cámara de Zaragoza and the vocal-instrumental group “Orphenica Lyra”; member of the Orquesta Sinfónica del Conservatorio Superior de San Sebastián, Orquesta “Txiki” and the Joven Orquesta de Cámara de San Sebastián, Orquesta Sinfónica “Santa Cecilia de Pamplona and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Euskadi, among others.
She furthered her musical studies with teachers such as Jorge Nicolescu (San Sebastián) and Wölf-Dieter Streicher in Stuttgart (Germany). From 1995 she was a member of the Internationale Orchestra Bachakademie of Stuttgart, under the direction of Helmuth Rilling.
From 1995 to 2004 she was a teacher of Violin and Chamber Music in the Professional Conservatory of Zaragoza, and also taught the subject of Historical Dance in the same centre.
Her profound interest in Early Music led her to the study of the baroque violin, receiving classes from Emilio Moreno, Ingard Schrader, Angel Sampedro, Chiara Banchini, Enrico Gatti and Mira Glodeanu in Madrid, Salamanca and Brussels. She has collaborated in, among other groups, the Orquesta Barroca de la Universidad de Salamanca, Orquesta Barroca “Ars Antiqua”, Coro y Orquesta “Valdeluz”, Ensemble vocal e instrumental “Vaghi Concenti”, the group of early music “In Illo Tempore” and is the leader of the Orquesta Barroca “Los Elementos”.
In 2002 she commenced the higher studies of Baroque Violin in the Royal Higher Conservatory of Music of Madrid with Isabel Serrano and Hiro Kurosaki, obtaining, under the latter, the End of Studies Diploma in June 2006.
At present she is studying for her Doctorate at the University of Valladolid. (Master of Spanish Music).
She follows her other facet as historical dancer (French Renaissance and Baroque) with the teachers Jürgen Schrappe, Mª José Ruiz, Cecilia Gracio Moura and Pilar Montoya, in Oporto, Madrid and Zaragoza. She is a founder of the Company of Historical Dance “Los Comediantes del Arte”, performing in many Spanish cities in important festivals and cycles (Salamanca 2002 “Capital Europea de la Cultura, University of Cantabria in the Aniversary of Don Quixote, Boadilla del Monte: Homage to Boccherini, Ciclo de Música Barroca “José de Nebra”, etc). She is also Vicepresident of the Spanish Association of Early Music and Dance (AEMDA).
Multifaceted artist born in Zaragoza. She studied piano with M. Pesci and graduated as a teacher. At the same time she got the Diploma in Singing with P. Andrés and also studied Chemistry at the University of Zaragoza. She commenced her studies of Early Music with J.L. González Uriol achieving the Higher Certificate of Harpsichord and Organ with Honours.
With a grant from the Provincial Council of Zaragoza and later from the “Commission Federale des Bourses pour étudiants strangers” of the Swiss Government, she furthered her studies in the “Schola Cantorum Basiliensis” where she studied Thorough Bass and Chamber Music (J. Christensen), Singing (R. Jacobs and R. Levitt), Conducting (H. Martin Linde), Historical Dance (E: Schneiter) and Baroque Gesture (S. Weller). At the same time she studied Harpsichord and Clavichord with I. Wjuniski in Paris, completing her studies with the First Prize in Harpsichord.
She has participated in numerous international courses of music and early dance (B. van Asperen, K. Gilbert, J. Ogg, A. Yepes, B. Sparti, B. Massin, etc.) and has attended the International Harpsichord Symposium held in Utrecht.
Her concert performances are frequent all over Europe, be it as soloist, as member of an orchestra or chamber music groups or as conductor. She has participated in many recordings.
She combines her profession in music with her other facet as historical dancer of the main styles from the Italian Renaissance (B. Sparti and L. Baert), Spanish Baroque (Mª José Ruiz), French Baroque (A. Yepes, B. del Valle, B. Gertsch, S. T’Hooft, J. Schrape, J. Voss, F. Denieau, C. Gracio Moura and B. Massin) up to the Bolera school of the end of the 18th century (G. Schwabl y M. León). She has collaborated with the professional companies of early dance, “Corpo Barocco” and “Esquivel” directed by S. T’Hooft and Mª José Ruiz in diverse projects which have been very well received by both public and critics alike and among which we could highlight “Il Ballo delle Ingrate” (C. Monteverdi), “Il Pastor Fido” (C. Monteverdi and B. Marini) in the theatre of Basel under the musical direction of A. Rooley, “Cierta y Galana” in the courtyard of the Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial in the commemoration of Felipe II and “Amor y Desamor”, spectacle that she herself created and directed. At the same time, she is profoundly interested in the study of original sources and is now working on her Doctoral Thesis “La Danza en la Corte de Felipe V” under the direction of Begoña Lolo. (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid). She also founded the historical dance company “Los Comediantes del Arte” with whom it has offered six shows and has been invited to give courses and lectures on early music and dance in Conservatories, Universities and other Institutions.
She belonged to the Musical Pedagogy Team of the Diputación General de Aragón directed by María Angeles Cosculluela.
At present she is Professor of Harpsichord and Clavichord, Artistic Director of the Baroque Orchestra at Conservatorio Superior de Salamanca, President of the Spanish Association of Early Music and Dance (AEMDA) and Member of the International Dance Council CID-UNESCO.
