Mañana
“A New Opera for Television”
Synopsis
Broadcast on 1 February 1956, composer Arthur Benjamin's Mañana was the first opera commissioned by the BBC. "The small Andalusian village comes to life in a sequence of short scenes introducing its inhabitants: a group of gossiping washerwomen, the prying eyes of the old rich widow looking down from her window, the neglected boy playing in the square, the pickpocket at work, the lazy man stretched out snoring in the midday sun, the Wise Man who mends china and writes letters for the poor and is fed in turn by the community. What will happen on the day when his food is given to a boy wrongly imprisoned in the local gaol and the Wise Man goes hungry? His anger is such that he prophesies the end of the world for mañana (tomorrow morning) and the credulous village repents and makes ready to meet its doom." —George R. Foa
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Frederick Sharp
The Wise Man
Edith Coates
The Widow
Heather Harper
Luisita
Carlos Montes
Pedro
Naida Labay
Conchita
Patricia Kern
Pia
Sheila Young
Third woman
Ivor Evans
The Mayor
William Dickie
The Innkeeper
Tani
Dolores
Ronald Lewis
Jose
David Langford
Carlos
Edmund Donlevy
The Pickpocket
Niven Miller
The Lazy Man
David Oddie
First Villager
Brian Douglas
Second Villager
Julian Bream
Guitar Player
Gita de la Fuente
Flamenco Singer
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- George R. Foa
- Screenplay & Story
- Caryl Brahms, George R. Foa
- Original Score
- Arthur Benjamin
- Original Title
- Mañana
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 13m
- Production Studios
- BBC TV
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
George R. Foa
Caryl Brahms, George R. Foa
Arthur Benjamin
Department Leadership Roster
Arthur Benjamin
Original Music Composer
Caryl Brahms
Writer
George R. Foa
Writer
George R. Foa
Director
Elizabeth Agombar
Costume Design
Stephen Bundy
Production Design
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Mañana.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Mañana
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Mañana about?
Broadcast on 1 February 1956, composer Arthur Benjamin's Mañana was the first opera commissioned by the BBC. "The small Andalusian village comes to life in a sequence of short scenes introducing its inhabitants: a group of gossiping washerwomen, the prying eyes of the old rich widow looking down from her window, the neglected boy playing in the square, the pickpocket at work, the lazy man stretched out snoring in the midday sun, the Wise Man who mends china and writes letters for the poor and is fed in turn by the community. What will happen on the day when his food is given to a boy wrongly imprisoned in the local gaol and the Wise Man goes hungry? His anger is such that he prophesies the end of the world for mañana (tomorrow morning) and the credulous village repents and makes ready to meet its doom." —George R. Foa
Who directed Mañana?
Mañana was directed by George R. Foa.
Who stars in Mañana?
The principal cast of Mañana includes Frederick Sharp, Edith Coates, Heather Harper, Carlos Montes, Naida Labay.
When was Mañana released and how long is it?
Mañana was released in 1956 with a total runtime of 1h 13m.
Who composed the musical score for Mañana?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Mañana was composed by Arthur Benjamin.