The legacy, deposited in box n.º 1507, also includes a pen used by the author and a family portrait of Arniches, who lived and died in Madrid. The ceremony was attended by Carmen Noguero, Secretary General of the Instituto Cervantes, and relatives of the writer, including Paloma Arniches, his granddaughter, and Joseba Barrón, his great-grandson.
Joseba Barrón highlighted the richness of 'La señorita de Trévelez', calling it a pivotal work for Spanish dramaturgy and a prototype for later creations such as Unamuno's 'La tía Tula' and Valle-Inclán's esperpento. He noted that the play addresses highly relevant themes like criticism of machismo and provincial aristocracy, recalling its recent staging at the Teatro Fernán Gómez.
Arniches' great-grandson emphasized the playwright's deep love for Madrid, the city where he achieved success and where he wrote in 1940: 'I loved Madrid; every street, every corner holds a mystery.'
Luis García Montero, director of the Instituto Cervantes, stated in a video message that Arniches' connection with the Generation of '27, his costumbrista perspective, and his skill in humorously and humanly portraying Spanish reality influenced Valle-Inclán's esperpento.
Paloma Arniches shared the family's satisfaction in having the work preserved in Madrid, one of the author's two important cities alongside Alicante. Luis Boyer, president of the Fundación Mediterráneo, which safeguards the legacy, celebrated the family's collaboration and the opening of this 'time capsule'.
Carlos Arniches' prolific output spans genres such as sainete, grotesque tragedy, and comedy. Titles like 'El santo de la Isidra' (1898), 'Los caciques' (1919), and 'Es mi hombre' (1921) are part of his extensive repertoire. 'La señorita de Trévelez' (1916), a tragic farce in three acts, tells the story of a prank played on a single woman in a small provincial town.
