El médico is a Spanish musical based on the novel of the same name by Noah Gordon, with book and lyrics by Félix Amador, and music by Iván Macías. Its central plot revolves around Rob J. Cole, a young orphan in 11th-century England who has an unusual gift: he can predict death with his hands. Taken in as an apprentice by a traveling barber surgeon, the boy travels across the country discovering the trade and the secrets of the profession. When at the age of 19 he hears of Avicena and her medical school in far away Persia, Rob sets off into the unknown to travel halfway across the world and become a doctor.
The show officially premiered on 17 October 2018 at the Teatro Nuevo Apolode Madrid, where it ran for two seasons. Between December 2021 and February 2023, a production toured the major Spanish cities.
The idea of adapting Noah Gordon's novel was Iván Macías's idea. He and producer Pablo Martínez contacted Michael Gordon, the son and agent of the author, to propose the project. After listening to some pieces, Gordon agreed to organize a meeting with his father in Boston in June 2016. This was the start of a close collaboration with the novelist, who not only ceded the rights for the development of the show, but also became actively involved in the creative process.[1]
Before its debut as a fully staged musical, a symphonic concert version visited some Spanish locations in the 2017-2018 season. This preview was directed and choreographed by Michael Ashcroft.[2]
The complete musical premiered on October 17, 2018 at the Nuevo Apolo Theater in Madrid, and was attended by Noah Gordon. In the words of the writer, "the emotion of the novel has managed to transfer to the music so that readers can now experience the adventures of Rob J. Cole in a new and wonderful way". José Luis Sixto directed, with choreography by Francesc Abós, set design by Alfons Flores, costume design by Lorenzo Caprile, lighting design by Luis Perdiguero, sound design by Olly Steel, special effects by Jorge Blass, and musical direction by Iván Macías.[3]
After two successful seasons, El médico closed in Madrid on January 12, 2020, having been seen by more than 250,000 spectators. In April 2020, a national tour was planned to begin at the Teatre Tívoli in Barcelona, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the plans.[4]
In mid-2021 it was announced that production company Beon Entertainment had begun developing a new traveling production that would tour the main Spanish cities. This production was directed by Ignasi Vidal, with choreography by Amaya Galeote, set design by Josep Simón and Eduardo Díaz, costume design by Lorenzo Caprile, lighting design by Felipe Ramos, sound design by Alejandro Martín, vocal direction by Gerónimo Rauch and musical direction by Iván Macías. It premiered on December 22, 2021 at the Cartuja Center in Seville and remained on the road for more than a year, its last performance being on February 26, 2023 at the Teatro Principal in Zaragoza.[5] The cast of the tour was led by Guido Balzaretti as Rob J. Cole, Cristina Picos as Mary Cullen, Joseán Moreno as Barber, Enrique Ferrer as Sha and Alberto Vázquez as Avicenna.[6]
On 22 October 2022, the show debuted in the Czech city of Brno, making it the first production outside of Spain.
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| Character | 2017 Symphonic concert | 2018 Madrid | 2021 Tour | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rob J. Cole | Adrián Salzedo | Guido Balzaretti | ||
| Mary Cullen | Talía del Val | Sofia Escobar | Cristina Picos | |
| Barber | Joseán Moreno | |||
| Sha | Alain Damas | Enrique Ferrer | ||
| Avicena | Ricardo Truchado | Alberto Vázquez | ||
| Agnes | Angels Jiménez | Noemí Mazoy | Irene Barrios | |
| Mirdin | Alberto Aliaga | Raúl Ortiz | Daniel Galán | |
| Karim | Juan Delgado | Jordi Garreta | ||
| Fritta | Héctor Otones | Álvaro Puertas | ||
| Qandrasseh | Beltrán Iraburu | Miquel Mars | ||
| Merlin | Javier Navares | Fernando Samper | ||
| Meir | Raúl Ortiz | Alberto Aliaga | Fran León | |
| Young Rob J. Cole | Victoria Galán | Victoria GalánDiego Poch Paula González Noelia Rincón | Beatriz de Teresa | |
Notable replacements in the 2021 Tour
In July 2018, part of the team of El médico traveled to the AIR Studios in London to record the musical's album with the London Symphony Orchestra. The double disc, which was produced by Kevin Killen, includes virtually the entire score, leaving out only a few brief excerpts. Several of the voices that can be heard on the album were performers who had participated in the symphony concert but who were not in the cast that premiered the show in Madrid.[7] [8]