The Great Lyric Gala of New Year, which was held on Saturday to benefit associations that work in Vallecas with socially excluded children, gathered 240 performers on stage, including some of the best international voices. Organised by Sinfolírica Foundation and Radiosol, they made more than 2,300 people who packed the National Auditorium enjoy themselves, lovers of zarzuela, who gave the artists a standing ovation and cheered and accompanied them at different times of their performances.

For the fifth consecutive year, the UCAM Symphony Orchestra welcomes the New Year in Madrid, in an event that is already part of the tradition in the capital of Spain and which highlights our lyric genre. If last year the Mexican tenor Javier Camarena led the range of vocal soloists, this time the Spanish soprano Ainhoa Arteta assumed this role. Other extraordinary voices of the international lyric scene performed with her, such as mezzos Cristina Faus and Nancy Fabiola Herrera; tenors Alejandro Roy (who had just arrived from his triumphant début at the Metropolitan of New York), Javier Tomé and Antonio Vázquez; baritone David Menéndez and bass Rubén Amoretti. Along with them, and under the guidance of Borja Quintas, the choirs Canticum Novo, Taller de Zarzuela of Madrid and Kantorei, and the accompaniment of the UCAM Symphony Orchestra.

At the beginning, the organisers thanked the president of UCAM Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia for his commitment to the event and its solidarity causes; José Luis Mendoza attended the event accompanied by several members and guests of the university, including well-known Murcians living in Madrid.

La del manojo de rosas, La tabernera del puerto, Don Gil de Alcalá, El Gato Montés or La Tempranica, among other titles of our exciting and purely Spanish genre (which should be more present on the theatres throughout Spain), made a zarzuela-loving audience enjoy themselves, who did not hesitate to stand up and sing along Las Corsarias.

Ainhoa Arteta was splendid, elegant in her interventions with perfect diction and a wonderful voice, perfectly fitting into the style of the compositions. Nancy Fabiola with a wide voice, showed her wide range of registers capable of creating numerous colours and a perfect musicality. Cristina Faus showed an enviable technique, capable of going from the pianissimo to the forte, all this decorated with a beautiful phrasing.

The tenor Alejandro Roy made his début in style at this gala, impeccable with a powerful voice and an extraordinary handling of the scores. Javier Tomé was very confident, with a wide range of colours, he mastered the nuances and sang at a great level. Special mention needs to be made to the unflagging Antonio Vázquez, who perfectly met the expectations and did not miss the annual event. David Menéndez sang without any effort, with his toned and wide voice capable of making intrusions in the tenor registers and at the same time flirting with the lower registers. Rubén Amoretti, tenor turned into a great bass, a very powerful voice with a gorgeous timbre, combined a wonderful singing style with a unique presence on stage and theatrical qualities, thus winning over the audience.

UCAM Symphony Orchestra, a regular participant in this yearly meeting with zarzuela, sounded powerful, balanced and very well performed, conducted with taste and elegance by Borja Quintas, contributing to make a great party out of our lyric genre par excellence before an auditorium that was packed to the rafters.