Zarzuela for beginners: everything you need to know about this genre
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Zarzuela is a genre that is not very known, but here is a guide for you to understand it
Leer en español: Zarzuela para principiantes: todo lo que debes conocer de este género
The zarzuela is a type of musical theater, a scenic genre in which declamation, singing, and instrumental parts are combined as affirmed by difinicion.de. According to the portal of the Juan Marcha Foundation, the zarzuela has its origin and development in Spain. It is very similar to other European styles such as German singspiel or the French opera-comique, in which during the staging also alternates the spoken and the sung. The zarzuela is considered a subgenre of the operetta, but unlike this one, the story is developed in some Spanish province, and always a fragment is inspired by typical Spanish music.
Read also: Tips for going to the opera for the first time
According to the same portal of the Juan Marcha Foundation, there is no unique style or model of Zarzuela, because over time variations have been made in it, which affected the structure and content. These changes according to the portal would be works in one or several acts, different arguments and compositions of various musical forms depending on the trends fashions of each era.
The name Zarzuela, according to publica.es, appears for the first time in the wife of the songs of Lope de Vega, zarzuela that was written before the year 1620 and where they make reference to the dance of the zarzuela. The name refers to the pavilion built in a fifth of recreation, in the real site of El Pardo, near Madrid. In this place, the king Felipe IV, after the moment of hunting, attended to different theatrical shows, because at that time hunting and theater were considered forms of entertainment "clean" and worthy of royalty.
Some of the most recognized zarzuelas are:
-La Rosa del Azafrán released in 1930.
-Los Gavilanes, composed by Jacinto Guerrero and released in 1923.
-Doña Francisquita, based on the play "La discreta enamorada" by Lope de Vega and composed by Amadeo Vives.
-Luisa Fernanda, performed by Federico Moreno Torroba, with the libretto by Federico Romero Sarachaga and Guillermo Fernández-Shaw Iturralde, was premiered in 1932 at the Teatro Calderón in Madrid, Spain.
-The Guest of Sevillano, with music by Jacinto Guerrero, libretto Juan Ignacio Luca de Tena and Enrique Reoyo, premiered on December 1926 at the Teatro Apolo in Madrid.
The genre is recognized for the joy of its lyrics, music, and rhythm. That is why we extend the invitation to participate in this type of shows.
LatinAmerican Post | Ana María Aray Mariño
Translated from "Zarzuela para principiantes: todo lo que debes conocer de este género"
