Héroes para la libertad: escenificaciones de Andrés Prieto (1820-1823)

Abstract

During the first decades of the 19th century, the stage worked as a political propaganda space. Most plays spread the liberal ideas and recover individual or collective heroes —Pelayo, the Comuneros, Numancia, Riego, Espoz y Mina, the National Militia, etc.—. Many times, the success depended on the delivering of a particular actor who had to make audience feel excited and to raise his patriotic sense. This paper focuses on the theatre activity of Barcelona related with the Triennial Liberal Government, in particular in Andrés Prieto’s performances. He acts different heroes for freedom while he participates, as a member of the National Militia, in the defence of the constitutional regime. This engagement forced him into the exile in France and Mexico.

Keywords

• andrés prieto
• patriotic theatre
• tragic hero
• pelayo
• numancia