Carlos Arniches I would have fulfilled today 152 years. This Alicante was, however, one of the writers who they better identify with Madrid and his anecdotal life through the skits, a genre in which no one could match it. He also collaborated as lyricist with important musician creators of famous operettas. Among his prolific work there are such well-known titles Miss Trévelez, is my man, Melquiades friend, The caciques, My husband is coming! Today I rescue some fragments of them.
Carlos Arniches
Arniches arrived in Madrid at the age of 19. He had worked as a journalist in Barcelona. And once in Madrid he entered the world of the scene with the help of the famous musician, also from Alicante. Ruperto Chapí.
He was a master at reflecting the Madrilenian manners in what started through the zarzuela and sainetes lyrical like The saint of Isidra. His success led him to dedicate himself to skits.
skits
With the traditional atmosphere and its characteristic characters Arniches comedically discussed domestic or more serious issues or situations. The result of the mixture of both elements sometimes borders on what grotesque and, without a doubt, acidity.
It is a pattern that is often repeated: there are two opposing characters (a good heartthrob and a bad heartthrob; a humble and hardworking man and another bully and with a lot of lip), there is also the lovely lady but something naive and the old man, resourceful and protective. The arguments have the very traditional language and in the end they always win good, love and honesty and the villains are ridiculed.
But, apart from entertainment, Arniches also sought the social criticism revealing values distorted by ambition or hypocrisy, opposed to Universal values, like family, honesty or love. This excerpt from, perhaps, its best known title, Miss de Trévelez, It serves to close this moment of memory of Mr. Arniches.
Miss de Trévelez
ACT TWO, SCENE V
Numeriano (the Galán); then Florita enters.
NUMERIAN. (He falls faintly on a bench.)
- Oh Lord! Well; I haven't been sleeping, eating, or living for fifteen days ... And I, who have never owed a penny, have even become a cheater! ... Because between the two dogs and the Marco, who am paying it in installments, I am half the salary. What a little picture!… Don Gonzalo calls it “the stain”, but quia. It is so much bigger. La Mancha and La Alcarria, all together. I have not put more than a ribbon around it and it has raised me to twenty-five dollars! ... Oh, I'm sick, I have no doubt. I have a headache, restlessness, nervous spasms; because besides all this, that woman has me crazy. It is of an exaltation, a vehemence and an ugliness that dismay. And then he has some hints ... Yesterday he asked me if I had read a novel called "The First Kiss", and I have not read it, but even if I knew it by heart ... Those little jokes, no! And to top it all, he speaks with such a cloying lexicon that to match him I look black. Here I have been running away from her ... Here, even for a few moments, I am free from that horrendous vision, from that vision ...
FLORITA. (Pushing the branches away from the bottom of the fountain, he pokes his smiling face out and says melodiously.)
- Nume!
NUMERIANO (rising with a tremendous leap. Aside.)
- Horn!… The vision!
FLORIT.
- Adored Nume.
NUMERIAN. (With dismay.)
- Florita!
FLORITA (leaving, looks at him.)
- But how pale! You are colorless! Are you scared?
NUMERIAN. (Faint.)
- If they bleed, they don't get a clot.
FLORIT.
- Well, I, wandering, have been going from one side of the flower bed to the other in search of you, and you, my love?
NUMERIAN.
- I wander too; but more lazy than you, I had sat for a moment to delight myself in the contemplation of the serene and starry night! ...
FLORIT.
- Oh Nume! ... Well, I was looking for you.
NUMERIAN.
- Well, if I know that you are looking for me, I swear that I run, that I run to meet you.