Instrumentation 3 Flutes (3rd doubling Piccolo) 2 Oboes 5 Clarinets in B flat (5th doubling Bass Clarinet in B flat) 2 Bassoons 3 Horns in F 4 Trumpets in C 2 Trombones Bass Trombone Tuba Timpani Percussion Marimba, Suspended Cymbal, Cymbals, Military Drum, Bass Drum, Maracas, Guiro, Castanets, Steel Drum, Djun Djun, Gong
4 on-stage Percussion (“Son Mantuno Percussion Ensemble”- without Timbales) Guiro or Chekere, Bongos, 3 Congas, Palitos
Piano Harp Violoncello (4 players) Contrabass (4 players)
Duration: full evening CHARACTERS ULISES - tenor Singer and trumpet player for Los Delfines. The Colonel's son. Newly married to Lucero. A dreamer, always seeing the bright side of life. LUCERO - soprano Ulises' wife and Magali's sister. A critical, decisive and self-assured young woman, who never gives up in
the face of adversity.
CHUCHO - baritone Clarinetist and singer for Los Delfines. Newly married to Magali. A pragmatic and slightly skeptical man. MAGALI – mezzo soprano Chucho's wife and Lucero's sister. A tender, easily-startled young woman. THE COLONEL – bass baritone Veteran of a thousand battles. Ulises' father. A slightly decrepit old man. A good father. GENERAL GARCIA - tenor President of the country. A real tin-pot dictator. A petty thief in the presidential palace. SERGEANT GUZMAN – spoken part Personal assistant to General Garcia. A consummate traitor, who conceals his personal ambitions beneath the mask of a weak and obsequious man. EL CHINO – character tenor Exotic character. Sells lottery tickets. Fortune teller. CAPTAIN MAGALLANES - bass Captain of El Invencible. An old sea wolf. A close accomplice of General Garcia in his covert operations. Despite everything, a good man, who will know how to die with dignity. LIEUTENANT - tenor The frigate's second-in-command. LA CHINA AND ORQUIDEA – sopranos The port's painted ladies. Being quite young, they still have a lot of innocence. MADAME COLETTE – bass baritone Hostess of a prosperous establishment, played by a baritone (same singer as El Coronel) CHORUS – sopranos, mezzos and tenors (no basses)