Theater and music are sometimes two artistic manifestations that are combined. This is what happens with the zarzuela. It is a typically Spanish performing arts genre, although works in Latin America have been represented in a minority way.
Its main uniqueness is the combination of a traditional plot line and a series of songs. As for the word zarzuela, its origin is related to the Palacio de la Zarzuela located in the capital of Spain and the place where the first performances of this artistic genre took place.
In a zarzuela the actors involved sing, dance and converse and this circumstance made this genre considered a great show, something that reminds us of current musicals.
From the point of view of the classification of the genre, the zarzuela is divided into two variants: the one known as the small genre, in which the representation takes place in a single act, and the large genre with more than one act. Regarding the topics covered, the historical episodes stand out, as well as arguments set in costumbrist situations.
A historical brushstroke
Although the antecedents of the zarzuela can be found in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was from the 19th century onwards when it reached its maximum popularity. At that time, French-style opera in Spain was associated with French culture and there was a feeling of popular rejection of anything that came from France, since the French had invaded Spain at the beginning of the 19th century. Thus, the zarzuela was born as an opposition to the opera and became popular as a genre that expressed the feeling of Spanishness. In the representations twists and expressions of the street were used and this aspect made the humble classes quickly see the zarzuela as a patriotic symbol.
Some historians claim that the Spanish zarzuela has similarities to the Italian opera, since both genres were originally intended to entertain members of the court. With the passage of time, the zarzuela gradually abandoned its elitist dimension and in the 19th century it became a show open to all social classes.
The songs and couplets of the zarzuelas became very popular among the lower classes. However, it was an expensive show due to the large number of actors and the complex staging, which is why during periods of economic crisis there were hardly any performances. Some historians consider that the musical genre known as the magazine is the heir to the zarzuela.
Starting in the 1960s, zarzuela came to television and once again this show regained its popularity. Currently, and very sporadically, zarzuela plays are revived in theaters as a nod to the past.
Photo: iStock – castenoid
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