At the end of 1881 Julio Enciso accompanied the Bilbao businessman Luciano Urzar to Barcelona. Urzar had promised to present Gayarre in Bilbao. Gayarre did not want to accept the fabulous conditions of Bilbao, but he gave him his word. When saying goodbye: Until April 9, to start the season. "Not missing, " answered Gayarre. I have the word of the king . Laden with laurels from his time in Rome, he arrived punctually in Bilbao, accompanied by Pepe Elorrio. The previous day the businessman Urzar had died. Julio Enciso and Marcelino de Goicoechea received Gayarre, informing him of what had happened. He was very affected by this misfortune and the difficult situation of the family of D. Luciano Urizar, jeopardized by the artists' contracts. Gayarre took care of everything, including rehearsals. He sang all twenty performances in the space of a month that the season lasted. The Bilbao public ed him their sympathy as a generous man and their admiration as a distinguished artist.
But his debut in Bilbao was not in the theater, but in the church of San Nicolás, at the funeral of Luciano Urzar, to whom all of Bilbao had come. From the choir, he sang the beautiful melodía that is the aria di Chiesa , by Stradella. The season marked an era in the history of theater in Bilbao. The last night, after applause, crowns and gifts, he was led home amid lighted torches, with music and even rockets, being greeted by an audience that acclaimed him with delirium.
Gayarre had excellent friends in Bilbao. But D. Domingo Sagarmán Naga stood out among all, enthusiastic about music and who felt true idolatry for Gayarre. The two were to pass away in the first days of January of the year 1890. From this season of Gayarre in Bilbao, a photo with an autograph that says: To Maria Antonia, memory of her friend Juli n Gayarre is preserved. Olaveaga, May 15, 1882.
There was a Gayarre Theater in Bilbao that was demolished in 1890. Another was built close to it with the same name, which today is dedicated to cinema.
MEL