Mario Gas (Montevideo, 1947) is one of the great names of the Catalan stage. Since his debut – he counts 18 years, with the direction of Asalto nocturno (1965), although he had been acting since he was eight – he must have directed about 150 productions. He has been an actor, director, voice actor, set designer, lighting designer and creator of legendary shows, such as Sweeney Todd and The Beauty Queen of Leenane. Around 80 years old, he continues to be combative and fighting from the theater. Until June 28, he interprets the autobiographical cabaret at La FàbricaLa lluna és blanca, muy blanca… and has just published memoirs, Conversaciones con Mario Gas (Fundamentos), written by Santi Fondevila and Teresa Petit. With him, we review fifty years of our theater.

Mario Gas is an actor, a theatre and opera director, but also a zarzuela director (in January he will restage Los gavilanes at the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid), a genre of musical theatre for which he has great affection and passion. This is not surprising if we consider that Mario Gas was born in Montevideo during the tour (of more than a year!) of his parents' company through Latin America. Hence the title of the show La nit és blanca, muy blanca..., which he premiered at La Fàbrica with the fragment of the romance Despierta negro from La tabernera del puerto by Maestro Sorozábal, which his father sang when he was born. A declaration of intent, moreover, playing with Catalan and Spanish in a show that looks back without nostalgia, evoking those poetic voices that have been part of his life.

For the fifth time, the Gran Teatre del Liceu is reviving Mario Gas's production of The elisir of love, by Gaetano Donizetti, one of the most iconic shows of the house. When it was first performed –in the midst of post-fire exile and at the Teatre Victòria–, the production had already been seen at the Grec (1983) and, ten years later, at the Peralada Festival, until in 2005 it took to the stage of the Rambla.

It is unusual for the same work to have two premieres in a few months. But for those who knew the moving tragedy of Wadji Mouawad, Oriol Broggi premiered at the Library in June, we must recommend that you visit the Teatro Apolo now to see and hear (now in Spanish) Mario Gas's take on a tremendously topical play, even more so given the genocide in Gaza. This recommendation obviously extends to those unfamiliar with the play and to one of the most important playwrights of this century.