A fascinating incursion into the complex world of Opera

Under the Skin of the Gecko is the first novel written by the soprano with a solid international career, Raquel Lojendio. In it she recreates the rehearsals of Mozart's opera Don Giovanni to get under the skin of its three female protagonists: Donna Elvira (Sarah), Donna Anna (Adela) and Zerlina (Olympia). The reader will have access to the ins and outs that happen behind the scenes, will know how these women deal with sexual harassment from their colleagues, non-consensual touching, and doubts about how to behave when faced with the fear of never finding work again. Also, to the authoritarianism of the stage directors and the emotional tension that is inevitably created in this murky and threatening environment.

In the world of art, the ego is a central factor and the idea of ​​divine intervention associated with the ego has turned many artists into deified geniuses. What happens behind the scenes when the curtain falls can only be told to us by someone from the inside...

Raquel Lojendio

She is a singer, songwriter, writer, illustrator, and dancer. Soprano with a solid international career, she studied singing at the Liceu of Barcelona and the Tenerife Conservatory. She also has a degree in classical dance from the Royal Academy of Dance in London. Her artistic career has been based on her versatility as a singer and artist, addressing recitals, symphonic concerts, opera and zarzuela. She has performed with the main Spanish orchestras and with such prestigious international ensembles as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Boston Symphony, the BBC Philharmonic, the Seattle Symphony, the Turin National Rai Symphony Orchestra, and the National Capitol Orchestra. of Toulouse, among others. Her operatic career has led her to perform in such prestigious theaters as the Teatro Real and Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid, Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville, Teatro Giuseppe Verdi in Trieste, etc.

Likewise, she has recorded for prominent record labels such as Deutsche Grammophon, Naxos, RTVE Música, Chandos or IBSClassical.