Ester’s heart

As part of the Autumn Festival, Alberto Cortés, a director and performer from Málaga,  is débuting a theatrical ritual about love and disappearance in Madrid on 20, 21 and 22 November at the Conde Duque Culture Centre.

Cortés continues in the vein of his previous works, in which words and poetry become the driving forces behind his stage productions. This production is based on a story set in the 19th century: the discovery of a manuscript written by Ester, a mysterious and deeply devout young woman. Through diaries and love poems, the story is pieced together of a woman who devotes herself entirely to her lovers and loved ones, until she eventually disappears without a trace.

Drawing on this story, Cortés creates a piece that takes the form of an open confession to the audience. And so it becomes a kind of ritual of exposure and redemption in which the artist puts his own body on the line. Ester’s performance serves as a starting point for reflecting on the dangers of emotional dependence and on the pressure that other people’s gaze exerts on the body.

The piece also explores the relationship between the artist and the market. Cortés questions what it means to be ‘sold’ time and time again within a capitalist system that turns the body and intimacy into commodities. From this process emerges a theatrical ensemble which, like Ester, is gradually consumed by love and moves towards a symbolic disappearance.

But the performance is not limited to the tragedy of dying for love. It also presents an act of openness towards the audience and a poetic exploration drawing on influences as diverse as Simone Weil, Emily Dickinson, the Brontë sisters, María Zambrano and Anne Carson. On stage, Cortés is also joined by Adriano Galante on guitar and the vocal group proyectoeLe.

Artistic credits:

• Concept, dramatisation, texts, direction and performance - Alberto Cortés
• Lighting and technical design - Benito Jiménez
• Sound space and technical design - Óscar Villegas
• Musical direction and violins - Luz Prado
• Guitars - Adriano Galante
• Choir and piano - proyectoeLe
• Technical coordination - Cristina Bolívar
• Subtitles - Marion Cousin
• Performance space - Víctor Colmenero Mir
• Painting - Miguel Oliver
• Wardrobe and production assistant on tour - Gloria Trenado
• Milliner  - Patricia Buffuna
• Ensemble support - Janet Novás
• External perspective - Amalia Fernández
• Photograph - Manu Rosaleny and Alejandra Amere
• Video - Johann Pérez Viera
• Production - El Mandaíto Producciones SL
• Co-Production- Centro de Cultura Contemporánea Condeduque, Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Grec 2026 Festival Barcelona, Festival d’Automne, Théâtre de la Bastille, Centre de les Arts Lliures de la Fundació Joan Brossa, Agencia Andaluza de Instituciones Culturales - Teatro Central and Tanzquartier Wien
• Collaboration – Citemor Festival, CAMPO, Azala and Graner

Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes
Recommended age: 13+