Zarzuela

Zarzuela (IPA /θarθ'wela/) is the Spanish lyrical opera. The name "zarzuela" is derived from "zarza" ("bramble"), for the bramble that grew outside the Palacio de la Zarzuela named for it. It is the residence of the Spanish royal family, outside Madrid; the opera style was named for the palace, where in the 17th century this kind of drama was held for the Spanish court.

Romantic zarzuela

Romantic zarzuela (1850-1950) can be subdivided into the género grande, representing longer, operatic-style works in two or three acts, and the género chico encompassing shorter, more populist works in one act, approximately an hour in length. Romantic zarzuela is a combination of sung musical numbers, instrumental interludes and dialogue. Musical content ranges from full-scale operatic arias (romanzas) through to popular songs, and dialogue from high poetic drama to lowlife comedy characters. There are also many types of zarzuela in between the two, with a variety of musical and dramatic flavours.

Related Topics:
Género chico - Comedy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the 1868 Revolution, the effects of the resulting economic crisis spread to the theatre. Such grandiose productions became too expensive for the audience to afford admission, leading the Teatro Variedades of Madrid to reduce both the ticket price and the duration of the shows. One work previously extending to four hours was reduced to one hour; the style became known as the "theatre of an hour". This innovation proved to be a great success, and composers rose to the challenge of the new shorter form. The new one-act zarzuelas were termed género chico, with those of three acts or more dubbed género grande. The zarzuela grande continued to flourish in Madrid'd Teatro de la Zarzuela, but with diminished popular interest. In spite of this, in 1873 the Teatro Apolo opened and attempted to revive the longer form, until it too bowed to audience demands and became the leading venue for the género chico. Whilst Barbieri produced the greatest zarzuela grande in El barberillo de Lavapiés, the classic exponent of the género chico was his pupil Federico Chueca, whose La gran vía (produced with Joaquín Valverde) was a cult success both in Spain and throughout Europe.

Related Topics:
Barbieri - Género chico - Federico Chueca - Joaquín Valverde

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~