When Aina Zanoguera talks about her profession as an actress and singer, her eyes light up. "Theatre and music are not a job for me, but much more of a vocation," says the 26-year-old Mallorcan from Palma. Singing was already one of her great passions at the tender age of nine. "I sang at every opportunity. It was actually my father who discovered my talent. He said at the time: 'That sounds beautiful and she even hits the notes. There's still room for improvement'."
However, as she was rather shy as a child, her father suggested that she try acting first to boost her self-confidence. At the age of eleven, Aina Zanoguera took on small roles at the Teatre Principal in Palma and began singing in the choir at the same time. At the age of 18, she finally applied to an acting school in Palma and was accepted. Over the past few years, she has gained more and more stage experience and has been able to further her career in the acting scene.
Even today, Aina Zanoguera still prefers to perform at the municipal theatre. "I like the theatre. It has a great atmosphere and is a cultural reference point here in Mallorca with an extensive programme." She has performed plays such as "Les petites coses", "Tanatología" and "Nomes son cosas" there. She says she inherited her talent for acting from her "abuela". "My grandmother, Maruja Alfaro, was one of the first actresses to perform here at the Teatre Principal. So, of course, the theatre has an important meaning for me."
In addition to acting, singing remains a great passion for her. "I still love singing. And thanks to drama school, I've also become a bit braver now," she explains, laughing. "Although it took a lot of effort at the beginning to stand in front of an audience of around 1,300 people." Aina Zanoguera has also mastered several instruments, such as the piano, guitar, cello and drums. Zanoguera's musical tastes are very diverse: "I like jazz, contemporary pop and traditional Mallorcan music. I also like to compose and write about melancholy, sadness and loss. These are the themes that preoccupy me. But I also like happy music." And music also helps her with her acting. "It's a good outlet for expressing feelings." The two arts complement each other well. Music often plays an important role in theatre too, she says.
Even though Aina Zanoguera is often on stage in Mallorca, she has toured Europe and performed in Berlin, Leipzig, Liverpool and New York. "I'll be on stage in Hamburg in the coming weeks. I understand some German, but I still find it a bit difficult to speak."
Although Aina Zanoguera loves travelling, the young artist is very attached to her home. "Mallorca is my home. Every time I travel and tell people where I come from, I realise that I was born in a privileged place that is full of special features."
But it's not just the island's landscapes features that make it a place the 26-year-old artist loves to return to. Aina Zanoguera sees great potential in Mallorca on a cultural level. "Mallorca is primarily known as a tourist island. All the more reason for me to emphasise the cultural treasure that we have here. I hope that more and more tourists and foreign residents will immerse themselves in our culture and visit our theatres, museums and concerts. The island simply deserves that."
Cooperation with TUI
Support from the tourism industry: the video project is sponsored by Europe's leading tourism group Tui and its Tui Care Foundation. The initiative was founded in 2016 with the aim of supporting sustainable projects in the destinations. The foundation focuses on the potential of the tourism sector as a driver of social development, education and prosperity. The Group promotes sustainable tourism in cooperation with local people.