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Enemy of the People
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 December 2025 | ||||||
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Enemigo del Pueblo (Enemy of the People) – Francisco Coll 1985
Opera in two acts
Libretto by Àlex Rigola, based upon the eponymous work by Henrik Ibsen
World Premiere
Work committed by Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía and Teatro Real in Madrid
World premiere: 5 November 2025
Enemigo del pueblo, Ibsen inspiring Jaws
The Valencian composer Francisco Coll has already presented his chamber opera Café Kafka at Les Arts, a micro-drama about human isolation in the modern age. Dramatic inspiration brings him back with a drama about savage capitalism, the Leviathan of contemporary society that puts its own security above that of the people. Henrik Ibsen's play of the same name, written in 1882, highlighted squarely an issue that has been unfortunately universal since the Industrial Revolution: the prevalence of money over human, moral and health values. An Enemy of the People would inspire the 20th-Century novel Jaws by American author Peter Benchley, which was adapted for the big screen by Steven Spielberg in his landmark film of the same name in 1974. Closing the circle, Francisco Coll presents, with the help of Ibsen, his monstrous Leviathan of the 21st Century: the dehumanised capitalist known today as the financial shark.
For the first time in its history and to mark the 20th anniversary of its inauguration, Palau de les Arts presents the world premiere of an opera commissioned from the international composer Francisco Coll, with whom it has maintained a close collaboration since Café Kafka, his first foray into opera, followed by the symphonic scores Mural and Ciudad sin sueño. The composer himself takes on the challenge of conducting our orchestra and chorus in a co-production with the Teatro Real, directed by Àlex Rigola, renowned in the world of opera for works such as Madama Butterfly at La Fenice and The Flying Dutchman at the Liceu and the Real. The Catalan stage director and playwright, a virtuoso at reconciling different artistic disciplines with a visionary approach, tackles this political and media-driven plot - which he himself wrote as librettist - inviting reflection through the power of its messages and the acting of quality performers such as José Antonio López in the role of Doctor and Moisés Marín as Alcalde.
Program and cast
Doctor - José Antonio López
Alcalde - Moisés Marín+
Petra - Brenda Rae
Mario - Isaac Galán+
Marta - Marta Fontanals-Simmons
Conductor - Francisco Coll
Stage Director - Àlex Rigola
Set Designer and Costume Designer - Patricia Albizu
Lighting Designer - Carlos Marquerie
Video - Álvaro Luna
Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana
Chorus master Jordi Blanch Tordera
Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Alumni Centre de Perfeccionament+
Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía
The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía is a majestic building designed by the Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava. Its sculpted form is highly symbolic.
The innovative architecture of this 40.000 square metre building -75 metres high-, accommodates four venues for opera, music, ballet and theatre.
Platforms project at different levels with passage ways and Mediterranean gardens. Access to the different areas is provided by means of panoramic lifts and staircases situated inside the metal sides of the building. The contrast between the opaque sheet metal structure and the glass foyers produce ever-changing sensations when walking about the building.
The metal plume, planted on the footbridge at the main entrance of the Palau de les Arts, seems to float over the structure. This elevated footbridge can be reached by two different stairways, it is 56 metres long and it is situated at the western end of the building. From the main entrance, where the Box Office is located, two symmetrical corridors lead to the lobby of the Main Concert Hall.
Only one point of support sustains the plume over the almond-shaped building, leaving the eastern end of the feather floating in mid-air, defying gravity.
Fine white concrete covers the large metal structural supports of the building, while broken mosaic tile (trencadís) has been used to decorate the outer shells, walls and reflecting pools of the Palau.
The Palau is surrounded by more than 60.000 square metres of gardens, pathways, and 11.000 square metres of water in the reflecting pools below.
How to get here
Adress: Av. del Professor López Piñero, 1, Quatre Carreres, 46013 València, Valencia, Spania
Transport públic
Bus: EMT lines: 1, 13, 15, 19, 25, 35, 40, 95 i 99.
More information
Underground: The nearest stop is Ciutat Arts i Ciències – Justícia (line 10). Also, you can use the stop Alameda (lines 3 and 5) and it is a 20-minute walk through the Turia gardens.
Taxi
Taxi stand at Plaza Monteolivete
Bike
Valenbisi, with stations in Avda. de La Plata (Museo Fallero) and Autopista del Saler- Puente de Monteolivete
Nearest parking
Parking L’Umbracle
The nearest parking is placed at L’Umbracle, also inside the City of Arts and Sciences. This parking has capacity for 665 cars and 25 buses.
Accesibility
The four venues of Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía have areas exclusively enabled for people who require the use of wheelchairs.
These seats are not included in the general sales and cannot be reserved: their use is established following the order of request. In the case of people with a recognized degree of disability, and who need to be accompanied by another person, both the holder and the companion may benefit from the promotions aimed at this group.
Likewise, the theatre provides a wheelchair support service, from and to the main entrance of the building in Avenida López Professor Piñero. This service must be requested one week before the performance.
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