Meaning of Zarzuela in Music
Zarzuela is a genre of Spanish lyric-dramatic music that combines spoken and sung scenes. It incorporates elements of opera, popular song, and dance. The term "zarzuela" is often used to refer to Spanish opera, but it is more accurately described as a distinct genre that has its own unique characteristics.
The origins of zarzuela can be traced back to the 17th century when the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid became a meeting place for the royal court and local artists. It was during these gatherings that traditional Spanish operatic works emerged. Some experts believe that Pedro Calderón de la Barca was one of the first authors of zarzuela librettos, with works like "La púrpura de la rosa" (The Purple of the Rose) and "El laurel de Apolo" (The Laurels of Apollo).
Zarzuela typically features characters that represent the working classes, such as chulos (men wearing peculiar clothes and making extravagant gestures), ratas (thieves), nannies, and policemen. The genre deals with the social realities of the 18th and 19th centuries in Spain.
In Catalonia, zarzuela developed its own distinct style with librettos in Catalan. The Catalan zarzuela, known as "teatre líric català" (Catalan lyric theater), had different atmospheres, plots, and music compared to the zarzuela that flourished in Madrid. It aimed to attract a different audience, specifically the bourgeois classes. Notable composers of Catalan zarzuela include Enric Granados and Enric Morera.
Zarzuela has experienced ups and downs throughout its history. It found favor again in Spain and elsewhere in the 1940s and 1950s, particularly among younger people who were drawn to its lyrical music and theatrical spectacle. Spanish radio and television have dedicated time to zarzuela, and there have been popular series of programs produced by TVE titled "Antología de la zarzuela" (Zarzuela Anthology).
It is important to note that the term "zarzuela" is also used to refer to a seafood stew from the Catalonia region in Spain. This culinary usage is named after the genre of Spanish musical theater, as zarzuela de mariscos combines contrasting styles of music and dance, much like the genre itself.
In summary, zarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, incorporating operatic and popular song, as well as dance. It originated in the 17th century and has its own distinct characteristics separate from traditional opera.
The zarzuela dates back to the mid-17th century. The name may have originated from a stage overgrown with bramble bushes (zarzas) at the royal hunting lodge or Palace of Zarzuela near Madrid, where actors gathered to present their plays to entertain King Philip IV and his court. It was initially a short court play with music, dancing and spoken dialogue, similar to the well-defined three act "comedia" genre.
These events gave birth to a musical form that would later be called "la zarzuela", a Spanish form of light opera which mixes spoken dialogue with music. This tradition became popular in the second half of the 19th century. The zarzuela is still performed today, but few new works have been written since the early 20th century.
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