Before you sits a dignified monument featuring a dark bronze figure of a man seated comfortably in a chair, flanked by distinct white stone statues of women on a stepped pedestal.
This plaza tells a story of sacrifice. Sometimes, to save a memory, you have to let go of something else people love.
In nineteen forty-seven, the sculptor Antonio Navarro Santafé was standing at a crossroads. Life in post-war Spain was incredibly hard. He had his suitcases packed, ready to emigrate to Argentina where his brother was already a successful film director. But just before he left, a letter arrived from a poet friend. It was a plea. The town wanted him to stay and build a monument for their greatest son, Ruperto Chapí.
Chapí was a musical genius, a composer whose zarzuelas... distinctively Spanish operettas... captured the soul of the country. The offer touched Antonio's heart. He unpacked his bags and stayed in Villena forever.
But here is the bittersweet part. To give Chapí this place of honor, the town had to destroy its favorite meeting spot. For decades, a fountain called "La Rana," or The Frog, stood right here. It featured a whimsical frog sitting on coral, and it was the heartbeat of social life. Locals were heartbroken when it was exiled to a sanctuary outside of town to make room for the serious composer you see now.
Look at the women in white stone beside him. They represent his famous works: "The Witch" on his left, and "The Troublemaker" on his right. The statue of Chapí himself is actually a replica. Ironically, the original stone was destroyed by kindness. Guardians tried to protect it with waterproofing, but that trapped moisture inside, causing the stone to rot from within.
Before we move on, look for the old cypress stump preserved near the monument. Tradition says this is the exact spot where Chapí placed his music stand for his very first concert, long before the statue existed. A silent, wooden witness to where it all began.
Now, lift your gaze to the large building nearby that bears the composer's name. We will head there next. Please walk toward the Chapí Theater.
