Crónica visual y musical de un ballet ecuestre del siglo XVIII: Las Parejas Reales de Luis Paret (1770)

Abstract

On June 6, 1770, the Fiesta de Parejas took place in the Royal Palace of Aranjuez—a magnificent equestrian ballet of great social and political significance. It was the first of a series of annual celebrations performed in Aranjuez that continued until 1788, when Prince Carlos, its main sponsor, ascended the throne as Carlos IV. Several sources report on this first event, including an oil painting by Luis Paret (Las Parejas Reales, 1770, Museo Nacional del Prado). Depicting four squads of horsemen dressed in traditional knightly armor, along with trumpeters and drummers, four music ensembles strategically positioned around the arena, the elaborate decorations, and a large audience attending the performance, among others, it can be considered a detailed visual chronicle. The splendor and luxury of the Fiestas (and thus their immense costs), as well as the code of conduct to be followed by those present, were recorded by Álvarez de Quindós, one of the attendants, in his chronicles (1804), in addition to other sources such as the account books kept in the General Archive of the Royal Palace (Madrid). Music was a central element of the spectacle, especially marches, galops, and contradanzas by well-known composers like Marescalchi and Brunetti—all short pieces for wind ensembles with powerful, distinctive rhythms. It even inspired Boccherini to compose a quintet for his patron, Infante Luis, intended to evoke the music of the Fiesta de Parejas.

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