Ana Duato: "I don't miss 'Cuéntame'; life is full of stages."

BarcelonaAna Duato (Valencia, 1968) and Darío Grandinetti (Rosario, Argentina, 1959) arrive at the interview arguing about where they'll go for lunch. They're looking for a restaurant serving traditional Catalan cuisine – "One of those that serves fricandó and beans with butifarra," says Duato – to fully immerse themselves in Barcelona – "Although I don't know if we'll find one, given how the city has changed," laments Grandinetti. The acting couple has arrived in the Catalan capital with The music, a play by Marguerite Duras written in 1965 and conceived for English television. Starting this Tuesday, and under the direction of Magüi Mira, the piece moves to the Teatro Borràs after a season in Madrid.

For both Duato and Grandinetti The music It's not just another project in their respective careers. The actor came to the project at a time when he had decided to return to Buenos Aires, after many months away from Argentina. "Doing theater involves staying in one place for a long time; it was a decision that was difficult for me for personal reasons," the actor notes. In Duato's case, the production marks his return to the stage after 25 years: the last time he performed there was in 1998 with The Elephant Man, directed by Mariano Barroso. "I was really looking forward to returning to the theater and working with Magüi [Mira]. The text is special; it speaks to human relationships. What a great way to return!" exclaims the performer.

The music follows a divorced couple who, some time later, decide to reunite in a hotel. Together, they experienced a toxic love that left them with deep wounds; they love each other and grieve even though they want to avoid it. "Everything that happens to them is a product of love, a love that at some point wasn't fully reciprocated. The play speaks precisely about that, about the complexity of a love that is incomplete," Grandinetti points out. "They realize they still love each other, but that their love is impossible because they grieve," adds Duato. Throughout the hour-long performance, the couple reproach each other for everything they didn't say to each other back in the day.

One of the great values of the text, says Grandinetti, is that it presents the situation "without any trace of machismo or patriarchy." Her character's reproaches come from elsewhere, and as they appear, they reveal "many things about who they both were at that moment." Duato defines her character as "a strong woman, who fights for her independence but is also very vulnerable," and in this emotional journey with her ex-partner, "she will peel back layers of the deep pain she feels." "Both had a very passionate past, with little reflection, little dialogue, and little understanding," says Grandinetti.

Beyond 'Tell Me How It Happened'

The music will accompany the two actors for a long season. They will remain in Barcelona until May 25th and then tour to Seville, Alicante, Valencia, Zaragoza, Murcia, Las Palmas, and Tenerife. The show marks a turning point in Duato's career, marked by the character of Merche, which she played for 22 years in the series. Tell me how it happened, from Spanish Television. "I'm very satisfied with the work I did on the series, but I don't miss it. Life is all about stages. We had the opportunity to enter viewers' homes for a long time, when television was viewed differently, and we were lucky enough to work on a project that speaks to us. For me, it was a vital and professional project." However, her connection with Tell me how it happened It will be even longer because they're shooting a film starring the Alcántara Fernández family. "I'll be in the film, but it's still a project," Duato concludes.