Antonio Cunill Cabanellas
Encyclopedia
Antonio Cunill Cabanellas (August 27, 1894 February 18, 1969) was an influential Catalan-Argentine playwright, theatre actor, director and instructor.
, Spain
, in 1894. His father, Juan Cunill, had been a well-known actor on the Catalan stage. He emigrated to Buenos Aires
in 1915 and quickly gained prominence in the vibrant local theatre scene, and became a early cinematographer
and actor in the Argentine cinema, appearing in a 1917 comedy, Carlitos en Mar del Plata
.
He worked afterwards as an assistant director
, mostly on zarzuela
s and sainete
s - comedy genres popular at the time in much of the Spanish-speaking world. He began writing, as well, and produced numerous of his own plays, notably Chaco, for which he won a Florencio Sánchez
Prize in 1933. The establishment that year of the National Comedy at the newly-nationalized Cervantes Theatre
led to Cunill's appointment as its director, and he inaugurated the new institution in 1935. His first production was of local playwright Gregorio de Laferrère
's Locos de verano (Summer Madness), which debuted to acclaim on April 24, 1936; he later adapted the play for the local cinema in 1942.
Cunill helped remedy the local shortage of skilled technicians in scenography
and stagecraft
by founding the National Institute for Theatrical Studies and authoring a number of technical texts and treatises. He also became Argentina's first vigorous promoter of local playwrights during his tenure at the National Comedy, and of 27 plays in its repertoire over five years, 26 were Argentine. The 1941 appointment of the ultra-conservative Director of the National Library of Argentina, Gustavo Martínez Zuviría
, as head of the National Commission for Culture led to Cunill's resignation, however. He continued to be prolific as director on the local stage, producing a number of Leopoldo Marechal
's works, notably La Tres Caras de Venus (Three Faces of Venus) in 1951, his own, notably Fin de semana (Weekend), in 1949, and William Shakespeare
's (Midsummer Night's Dream, 1953). A number of the lead actors he discovered during this era, such as Eva Franco, Duilio Marzio
and Pepe Soriano
, later became prominent in both Argentine theatre and film.
Becoming assistant director of the National Music Conservatory
, Cunill was named director of the largest popular stage theatre in Argentina, the public Teatro General San Martín
, in 1953, and managed the institution during an difficult interim marked by a scarcity of venues (its new, modernist Corrientes Avenue
building was under construction) and the instability leading to President Juan Perón
's 1955 overthrow. Cunill resigned on the eve of these events, and he returned at the helm of his National Institute for Theatrical Studies, teaching at its facilities adjoining the Cervantes Theatre until his death in 1969 at age 74.
Life and work
Cunill Cabanellas was born in BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in 1894. His father, Juan Cunill, had been a well-known actor on the Catalan stage. He emigrated to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in 1915 and quickly gained prominence in the vibrant local theatre scene, and became a early cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
and actor in the Argentine cinema, appearing in a 1917 comedy, Carlitos en Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
.
He worked afterwards as an assistant director
Assistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
, mostly on zarzuela
Zarzuela
Zarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular song, as well as dance...
s and sainete
Sainete
A sainete was a popular Spanish comic opera piece, a one-act dramatic vignette, with music. It was often placed at the end of entertainments, or between other types of performance. It was vernacular in style, and used scenes of low life. Active from the 18th to 20th centuries, it superseded the...
s - comedy genres popular at the time in much of the Spanish-speaking world. He began writing, as well, and produced numerous of his own plays, notably Chaco, for which he won a Florencio Sánchez
Florencio Sánchez
Florencio Sánchez was a Uruguayan playwright, journalist and political figure. His artistic work unfolded in the River Plate region...
Prize in 1933. The establishment that year of the National Comedy at the newly-nationalized Cervantes Theatre
Cervantes Theatre (Buenos Aires)
The Cervantes National Theatre in Buenos Aires is the national stage and comedy theatre of Argentina.-History:The Cervantes Theatre of Buenos Aires owes its existence, in part, to the 1897 relocation to Argentina of Spanish theatre producer María Guerrero and her company, who popularized...
led to Cunill's appointment as its director, and he inaugurated the new institution in 1935. His first production was of local playwright Gregorio de Laferrère
Gregorio de Laferrère
Gregorio de Laferrère was an Argentine politician and playwright.-Life and work:Gregorio de Laferrère was born in Buenos Aires to Mercedes Pereda, a local heiress, and Alfonso de Laferrère, a prominent French Argentine landowner. One of three brothers, he earned his secondary school education at...
's Locos de verano (Summer Madness), which debuted to acclaim on April 24, 1936; he later adapted the play for the local cinema in 1942.
Cunill helped remedy the local shortage of skilled technicians in scenography
Scenography
-Usage:Whilst also aligned with the professional practice of the scenographer, it is important to distinguish the individual elements that comprise the 'design' of a performance event from the term 'scenography' which is as an artistic perspective concerning the visual, experiential and spatial...
and stagecraft
Stagecraft
Stagecraft is a generic term referring to the technical aspects of theatrical, film, and video production. It includes, but is not limited to, constructing and rigging scenery, hanging and focusing of lighting, design and procurement of costumes, makeup, procurement of props, stage management, and...
by founding the National Institute for Theatrical Studies and authoring a number of technical texts and treatises. He also became Argentina's first vigorous promoter of local playwrights during his tenure at the National Comedy, and of 27 plays in its repertoire over five years, 26 were Argentine. The 1941 appointment of the ultra-conservative Director of the National Library of Argentina, Gustavo Martínez Zuviría
Hugo Wast
Gustavo Adolfo Martínez Zuviría , best known under his pseudonym Hugo Wast, was a renowned Argentine novelist and script writer....
, as head of the National Commission for Culture led to Cunill's resignation, however. He continued to be prolific as director on the local stage, producing a number of Leopoldo Marechal
Leopoldo Marechal
Leopoldo Marechal was one of the most important Argentine writers of the twentieth century.- Biographical notes :...
's works, notably La Tres Caras de Venus (Three Faces of Venus) in 1951, his own, notably Fin de semana (Weekend), in 1949, and William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's (Midsummer Night's Dream, 1953). A number of the lead actors he discovered during this era, such as Eva Franco, Duilio Marzio
Duilio Marzio
Duilio Marzio is a well-known Argentine cinema and theatre actor.-Life and work:He was born Duilio Perruccio in Buenos Aires to Sicilian immigrants, in 1923. He enrolled at the University of Buenos Aires Law School, obtaining a juris doctor...
and Pepe Soriano
Pepe Soriano
Pepe Soriano is a prominent Argentine actor and playwright.-Life and work:Soriano was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina...
, later became prominent in both Argentine theatre and film.
Becoming assistant director of the National Music Conservatory
Conservatorio Nacional Superior de Música (Argentina)
The Conservatorio Nacional Superior de Música is a music school in Buenos Aires, and the leading conservatory in Argentina.The Conservatorio Nacional was founded, among others, by Argentine musician Carlos López Buchardo on July 7, 1924, during the presidency of Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear...
, Cunill was named director of the largest popular stage theatre in Argentina, the public Teatro General San Martín
Teatro General San Martín
The Teatro General San Martin is an important public theater in Buenos Aires, located on Corrientes Avenue and adjacent to the cultural center of the same name...
, in 1953, and managed the institution during an difficult interim marked by a scarcity of venues (its new, modernist Corrientes Avenue
Corrientes Avenue
Avenida Corrientes is one of the principal thoroughfares of the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. The street is intimately tied to the tango and the porteño sense of identity...
building was under construction) and the instability leading to President Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
's 1955 overthrow. Cunill resigned on the eve of these events, and he returned at the helm of his National Institute for Theatrical Studies, teaching at its facilities adjoining the Cervantes Theatre until his death in 1969 at age 74.