Zarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular songs, as well as dance. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but some propose it may derive from the name of a royal hunting lodge, the Palace of Zarzuela, near Madrid, where that type of entertainment was allegedly first presented to the court. The palace in turn was named after the brambles that grew there.
Spanish opera is both the art of opera in Spain and opera in the Spanish language. Opera has existed in Spain since the mid-17th century.
Hipòlit Lázaro, better known as Hipólito Lázaro, was a Catalan-Spanish opera singer. He was active as an operatic tenor for four decades from 1910 through 1950.
Doña Francisquita is a zarzuela in three acts composed by Amadeo Vives to a Spanish libretto by Federico Romero and Guillermo Fernández-Shaw and based on Lope de Vega's play La discreta enamorada. With its colourful score and comic story of multiple love triangles which ends happily for the young lovers, Francisquita and Fernando, Doña Francisquita is considered a classic of the zarzuela genre, and Vives' masterpiece.
Guillermo Fernández-Shaw Iturralde was a Spanish poet and journalist. He is particularly known as a writer of libretti, primarily for zarzuelas. With Federico Romero, he wrote the libretti for two of the best-known zarzuelas of the 20th century, Doña Francisquita by Amadeo Vives and Luisa Fernanda by Federico Moreno Torroba. His father, Carlos Fernández Shaw, was also a playwright, poet and journalist who wrote libretti for several zarzuelas and operas, most famously Margarita la tornera and La vida breve. Guillermo Fernández-Shaw was born in Cádiz and initially trained as a lawyer before becoming a journalist. He was the editor of the Spanish newspaper La Epoca from 1911 to 1936, and a contributor to ABC as well as writing poetry for Blanco y Negro. His partnership with Federico Romero began in 1916 with their libretto for Serrano's La canción del olvido. Guillermo Fernández-Shaw died in Madrid on 17 August 1965 at the age of 72.
Federico Romero Saráchaga was a Spanish poet and essayist. He is particularly known as a writer of libretti, primarily for zarzuelas. Although he was born in Oviedo and lived at times in both Zaragoza and Madrid, he considered himself a son of Spain's La Mancha region, where his family had lived from the early 20th century in the small town of La Solana. The zarzuela La rosa del azafrán, composed by Jacinto Guerrero to a libretto by Romero, is considered emblematic of the region.
Los amores de la Inés is a zarzuela in one act, two scenes, composed by Manuel de Falla in collaboration with Amadeu Vives. The work uses a Spanish language libretto by Emilio Dugi and the music is organized into a prelude and five musical sections.
José Padilla Sánchez, popularly known as Maestro Padilla, was a famous Spanish composer and pianist. He was best known for the songs La Violetera and El Relicario, popularized by cuplé singer Raquel Meller, and the pasodoble Valencia.
Raquel Pierotti is a mezzo-soprano opera singer. She specialized in coloratura roles in the Rossini and Handel repertoire.
Pablo Luna Carné was a Spanish composer. His best-known composition is the aria "De España vengo" from the zarzuela El niño judío.
Miguel Roa was a Spanish conductor. He was particularly associated with the zarzuela, and joined the Teatro de la Zarzuela in 1978, becoming director in 1985.
Gitano is a 2007 album of zarzuela arias sung by tenor Rolando Villazón, with the Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid conducted by Plácido Domingo, for Virgin Classics.
Plácido Domingo Ferrer was a Spanish zarzuela baritone and father of popular operatic tenor Plácido Domingo. Half Catalan and half Aragonese, he grew up and made his early career in Zaragoza, the capital of Aragon. He frequently toured Spain with his soprano wife Pepita Embil. In late 1948, they permanently moved to Mexico, where they successfully ran their own zarzuela company. He also appeared in recordings and on Mexican television.
Eugenio Sellés y Ángel, Marquess of Gerona and Viscount of Castro and Orozco was a Spanish writer, journalist, playwright and politician.
Maria Ofelia Erenia Nieto Iglesias was a Spanish opera and zarzuela singer. She was the daughter of José Nieto Méndez, a notary of Burgos, and Erundina. She was a sister of Ángeles Ottein and José Nieto, who were also opera and zarzuela singers. Nieto was 14 when she debuted in Amadeu Vives i Roig's Maruxa in the title role. After marriage, she retired in 1928.
María de la Asunción Uriz Mosquera, better known as María Uriz, is a Spanish soprano.
Maruja Troncoso Ortega is a Spanish lyric soprano and professor of singing.
Úrsula López, stage name Úrsula Falcón Quintero, was a Spanish zarzuela and variety singer and businesswoman. In addition to performing, she was known for her glamorous public image, often flaunting expensive clothes, jewelry, and an automobile.
María Ros, full name María Asunción Aguilar Ros, was a Spanish operatic soprano.
