Tanairí
Tanairí is a 1985 telenovela produced in Puerto Rico with a plot regarding slavery on the island while under Spanish rule. Tanairí is the setting for the series, the name of the hacienda where the story takes place. The series theme song "Soledad" was performed by Nydia Caro.
Cast
- Juan Ferrara ... Gustavo Medina
- Von Marie Méndez ... Soledad Arizmendi
- Rolando Barral ... Soledad's father
- Raúl Reyes León ... young Gustavo Medina
- Von Marie Freyres ... young Soledad Arismendi
- Braulio Castillo, Jr. ... Pedro Antonio
- Iris Chacón ... Providencia
- Ernesto Concepción ... El Fiscal
- Ofelia D'Acosta ... Emperatriz
- Alba Nydia Díaz ... Altagracia
- Viviana Falcon ... Maria Luisa
- Gilda Haddock ... Cecilia
- Julio Axel Landrón ... Rosendo
- Maria Esther Lasalle ... Cambucha
- Guillermo Leiva ... Notario Medina
- Armando Martinez ... Celso
- Samuel Molina ... Baldomero
- Eileen Navarro ... Maria Isabel
- Roberto Rivera Negrón ... Father Olegario
- Marina Perez ... Dolorita
- José Reymundi ... Father Eugenio
- Carmen Belen Richardson ... Mariba
- Orlando Rodriguez ... Tomas
- Luz María Rondón ... Sor Herminia
- Mercedes Sicardo ... Adele
- Pedro Orlando Torres ... Rev. Patrick Moore
Basic Plot
Soledad Arizmendi (Von Marie Méndez) is the daughter of wealthy family that owns a hacienda (plantation) named "Tanairí", in 19th Century Puerto Rico. Upon attending school in France, she returns home and finds Puerto Rico in political, social and economic turmoil due to the Spanish-colonial rule, and the struggle to abolish black slavery on the island. Inspired by the principles of freedom, equality and justice learned abroad, Soledad challenges her family and the establishment, and starts a quest to undo racial, economic and social injustice, and free all the slaves in the hacienda. Soledad makes major enemies along the way, and becomes the target of evil characters who hate the principles of change that she stands for. Troubles escalate when she falls in love with Spanish-Army soldier Gustavo Medina (played by Mexican actor Juan Ferrara), who is engaged to her cousin Cecilia (Gilda Haddock). Gustavo, as a member of the military, must endorse Spanish-colonial rule and black slavery in 19th century Puerto Rico. Soledad feels trapped between loyalties to family, love, tradition, country, and her duty to bring freedom and equality to others. Meanwhile, Gustavo has troubles of his own when he believes that Soledad is having an affair with a comrade in her underground anti-slavery movement, and he later finds out that Soledad herself has black racial ancestry - which leads him to question his own morals and racial prejudice.