Gilberto Zaldívar, Co-Founder of Repertorio Espanol Theatre Company, Dies at 75

Gilberto Zaldivar, co-founder of Repertorio Español, has died, according to a report in the New York Times. Zaldivar was 75 years of age.

Repertorio earned its status as New York City's premiere Spanish-language theatre company, presenting more than 250 plays ranging from 17-century classics to modern day words penned by Hispanic playwrights. Zaldiva, along with Rene Buch, co-founded the company in 1968.

Zaldívar produced the world premieres of plays such as "Café Con Leche," "La gringa" and "La Cándida Eréndira"; the New York Premiere of García Lorca's "El Publico" and the Spanish-language premiere of Nilo Cruz's Pulitzer Prize Winning Drama "Anna In The Tropics.

Zaldívar's work has been acclaimed by audience and critics. Zaldivar's productions have received many honors, including OBIE, Drama Desk, and the New York State Governor's Awards as well as numerous HOLA (Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors) and ACE (Association of Hispanic Theater Critics) Awards. Zaldivar most recently received TCG's (Theater Communications Group) 2008 Practitioner Award and an ENCORE Award from the Arts and Business Council of New York for Excellence in Arts Management in 2007.

Zaldivar is survived by his partner Robert Weber Federico, who succeeded Zaldivar as the company's executive director in 2005 when Zaldívar was forced to retire after being diagnosed with Lewy Body Disease.