Madre Luna

Infobox Television
show_name = Madre Luna


format = telenovela
picture_format = Color
camera = Multi-camera
runtime = 60 minutes
num_episodes = 141
developer = Julio Jiménez, Iván Martínez Lozano
composer = Héctor Cardona Jr.
editor = José Luis Varón
starring = Amparo Grisales
Gabriel Porras
country = COL
USA
executive_producer = Hugo León Ferrer
language = Spanish
network = Telemundo
picture_format = NTSC
audio_format = Stereophonic sound
preceded_by = "Marina"
related =
first_aired = July 2, 2007
last_aired =
January 28, 2008
location = Bogotá and Girardot, Colombia
website = http://tv.telemundo.yahoo.com/madreluna/index.html

Madre Luna ("Mother Moon") is a Spanish-language telenovela produced by the United States-based television network Telemundo and RTI Colombia. This limited-run series, also known as "Grains of Love", [http://www.tepuy.com/madre_luna_eng.swf] debuted on July 2, 2007. Veteran telenovela writer Julio Jiménez developed the story as a vehicle for star Amparo Grisales. [http://www.laopinion.com/entretenimiento/?rkey=00000000000001897770] The show scored a 35 percent share of the Colombian audience during the summer of 2007. [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117973602.html?categoryId=2714&cs=1] During November 2007, it averaged 571,000 core adult (ages 18-49) viewers. [http://nbcumv.com/telemundo/release_detail.nbc/telemundo-20071204000000-telemundoachievesg.html]

"Luna's" final episode aired Monday, January 28, 2008.

tory

This romantic melodrama features Alejandra Aguirre (Amparo Grisales), a gorgeous, tenacious woman with an amazingly well-preserved body who grows rice in the rural town of Castellón -- and hides a deep, shocking secret. She is a 50-year old woman with great passion, sensuality and splendor. Her self-willed intensity puts her in the middle of a rivalry between Leonardo Cisneros (Gabriel Porras) and his handsome, daring son Ángel (Michel Brown). [http://tv.telemundo.yahoo.com/madreluna/articulo/13062007/71/madreluna-historia.html] Both dashing men want to possess this vivacious heroine.

Leonardo is Alejandra's old flame, who gave her two energetic children, Valentin and Demetrio. He reappears in her life after many years of absence and revives the strong feelings which she thought had died long ago. This turns her whole life upside down, forcing her to face her past. [http://tv.telemundo.yahoo.com/madreluna/articulo/13062007/71/madreluna-historia.html]

Years before, Leonardo met Alejandra during a business trip and they fell in love. He never told his unsuspecting lover that he had been married to his cruel, calculating wife Flavia (Mónica Dionne), who is the mother of his son Ángel, for three years. Instead, he chose to live a double life of deception. [http://tv.telemundo.yahoo.com/madreluna/articulo/13062007/71/madreluna-historia.html]

Not knowing the truth, Alejandra discovered that she was pregnant. When she finally discovered Leonardo’s deception, she broke off the relationship. She chose to keep her silence rather than risk hurting his family. [http://tv.telemundo.yahoo.com/madreluna/articulo/13062007/71/madreluna-historia.html] While she accepts a plot of land in Castellón from Leonardo, she avoids him for years before serendipity brings them back together.

Alejandra's reappearance sends a jolt of passion through Leonardo’s heart. This also raises hatred and envy in vengeful people who want Alejandra and her children destroyed. These dangerous enemies include Doña Trinidad Zapata (Saby Kamalich), Flavia's tyrannical mother, and the villanous Tirso Reinoso (Paulo Quevedo), who oversees the Cisneros property, along with the scheming Commandante Veneno ("Captain Venom") (Mauricio Aspe), [http://nbcumv.com/telemundo/release_detail.nbc/telemundo-20070622000000-telemundoleinvita.html] who leads a group of thugs called the Sierra Brigade.

Meanwhile, the younger generation faces its own fight for love, companionship and fulfillment. Leonardo’s son Angel falls for Alejandra, knowing nothing of her forbidden secrets. Despite the enormous age difference, Angel becomes so obsessed that he tries to take her by force. This provokes Alejandra's strong desire to stand up against anyone who would abuse her or her children.

Leonardo’s other sons are also adults with their own conflicts. Valentin now works on the rice farm and Demetrio attends college. These two find themselves competing for the love of Flavia's beautiful young niece, Anabel Saldaña (Ana Lucía Domínguez). [http://nbcumv.com/telemundo/release_detail.nbc/telemundo-20070622000000-telemundoleinvita.html]

All this leads both families down a path to intrigue, desperation, and betrayal. Generational and status conflicts converge. The struggle over love and family and between rich arrogant upper class families and poor, decent farmers pushes both Alejandra and Leonardo to their limits. [http://tv.telemundo.yahoo.com/madreluna/articulo/13062007/71/madreluna-historia.html]

Title

The name "Madre Luna" refers to a family character in the children's stories that Alejandra told her sons when they were growing up. Telemundo's English promotional copy says that the "luna" (moon) represents the two heroines. Alejandra and Anabel lead the story toward its emotional climaxes just as the phases of the moon direct "ancient feminine mysteries." [http://www.tepuy.com/madre_luna_eng.swf]

Production

"Madre Luna" is the last Telemundo-produced telenovela filmed in NTSC resolution. "Variety" called the show "exquisitely lensed," featuring "bronzed bodies, revealing dresses, hacienda lust and luxury, and pop scoring." [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117973602.html?categoryId=2714&cs=1] "Madre Luna" is shot in Colombia and vehicles in the show bear yellow Colombian license plates. Jiménez said the setting is an imaginary locale inspired by Colombia's rice fields. [http://www.laopinion.com/entretenimiento/?rkey=00000000000001884070] Despite the setting, Telemundo made product placement deals to promote Windex, Splenda and other U.S. brands during the show.

In addition, Telemundo is expected to air 130 hours of "Madre Luna" from Monday to Friday over about six months. [http://www.tepuy.com/madre_luna_eng.swf] As with most of its soap operas, the network broadcasts English subtitles as closed captions on CC3. This show replaced "Marina" in Telemundo's 8 p.m. ET/PT time slot.

Changes

When Telemundo announced "Madre Luna" in May, 2006, the story was different. Grisales was to play a character named "Leonor" Aguirre. When her husband dies, she returns home to Castellón to face her troubled past and protect her family honor. She falls madly in love with a charming man half her age. [http://tv.telemundo.yahoo.com/madreluna/articulo/13062007/71/madreluna-historia.html]

The villain in this story was Isadora, who believes Leonor was once romantically involved with her husband. So she plots to expose Leonor's dark secret and ruin her family’s reputation Isadora spreads a hideous rumor around town, provoking irate villagers to attack Leonor's home and kill her eldest son. The novela was to focus on Leonor’s quest to rise from the ashes and avenge her son’s tragic death. [http://tv.telemundo.yahoo.com/madreluna/articulo/13062007/71/madreluna-historia.html]

Actor Javier Gómez was originally cast in a major role in this series, but he went over to another Telemundo soap, "Sin Vergüenza", instead.

Cast

*Amparo Grisales.... Alejandra Aguirre - "main heroine,in love with Leonardo"
*Gabriel Porras .... Leonardo Cisneros - "main hero,in love with Alejandra"
*Michel Brown .... Ángel Cisneros - " son of Leonardo and Flavia, in love with Alejandra"
*Saby Kamalich .... Doña Trinidad Zapata - " mother of Flavia and grandmother of Ángel, villain"
*Mónica Dionne .... Flavia Portillo de Cisneros - "wife of Leonardo, villain"
*Arap Bethke .... Demetrio Aguirre - "son of Alejandra and Leonardo,in love with Dulce
*Ana Lucía Domínguez .... Anabel Saldaña - "cousin of Ángel, in love with Valentin"
*Alex Sirvent .... Valentín Aguirre - "brother of Demetrio, in love with Anabel"
*Paulo Quevedo .... Tirso Reinoso - "foreman of the Cisneros hacienda, villain"
*Mauricio Aspe .... Roman Garrido - "bandit in the town, villain"
*Judy Henríquez .... Angustias - "friend of Alejandra"
*José Saldarriaga .... Fidelio Marquez - "rich man in the town"
*Julio del Mar .... Ignacio Morales - "farmer, friend of Alejandra"
*Daniela Tapia .... Dulce Elena Marquez - "niece of Fidelio, in love with Demetrio"
*Ana Beatriz Osorio ....Violeta - "Violeta's Bar Owner in Castellón"
*Sebastián Boscan .... Hermes - "brother of Dulce"
*Pedro Roda .... Bebo Cantillo - "owner of the town's restaurant"
*Luz Alejandra Pinzon .... Juana - "Violeta's bar girl, had a brief affair with Demetrio Aguirre"
*Adriana Campos .... Zulma Moreno- "bandit, girlfriend of Roman,in love with Angel"
*Mónica Pardo .... Luzmila Morales
*Dorían Díaz
*Mauricio Álvarez
*Orlando Lamboglia
*Sandra Guzmán.... Marcela Pizarro
*Gabriel González
*Maria Ángela Cubillos
*Jairo López
*Orlando Bonnet
*Maria Cristina Montoya
*Margarita Duran
*Daniel Merizalde
*Maria Margarita Amado
*Ivette Zamora
*Toto Vega
*Nure Valbuena
*Antonio Puentes
*Olga Lucia Rojas
*Freddy Ordóñez
*Richard Martínez
*Aída Bossa
*Luz Estella Luengas.... Dulce Elena's Mother, Basilio's wife.
*Sigifredo Vega
*Maria Claudia Torres

External links

* [http://www.tepuy.com/madre_luna_eng.swf Telemundo International] "Madre Luna" page (English, requires Flash)
* [http://foro.telenovela-world.com/n4/list.php?f=439 Telenovela World] (bilingual)
* [http://tv.telemundo.yahoo.com/madreluna/index.html Official Telemundo site] (Spanish)
* " [http://www.laopinion.com/entretenimiento/?rkey=00000000000001897770 Only Amparo Grisales Can Be "Madre Luna"] " (Spanish article in "La Opinion")
* [http://www.canalrcn.com/programas/?op=info&idS=1023&idP=548&idC=41757 Madre Luna in RCN TV (Colombia)]