Opera in Venezuela
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Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
, since the opening of the Teatro Caracas and, earlier, the Teatro Maderero (then called Teatro de la Zarzuela), there has been a great lyrical tradition ranging from serious opera to operetta, zarzuela, and Spanish musical reviews.


History

The first Venezuelan opera was ''El maestro Rufo Zapatero'' an
opera buffa ''Opera buffa'' (; "comic opera", plural: ''opere buffe'') is a genre of opera. It was first used as an informal description of Italian comic operas variously classified by their authors as ''commedia in musica'', ''commedia per musica'', ''dramm ...
composed in 1848 by
José María Osorio José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernacul ...
. ''Virginia'' by
José Ángel Montero José Ángel Montero (born Caracas October 2, 1832 - died Caracas August 24, 1881) was a Venezuelan opera composer, a contemporary of the Brazilian Antônio Carlos Gomes, Carlos Gomes. As ''maestro di capilla'' at the cathedral of Caracas he wrot ...
(sometimes incorrectly called the first Venezuelan opera) debuted in 1877, under the auspices of Antonio Guzmán Blanco. Another major early Venezuelan opera composer was
Reynaldo Hahn Reynaldo Hahn (; 9 August 1874 – 28 January 1947) was a Venezuelan-born French composer, conductor, music critic, and singer. He is best known for his songs – ''mélodies'' – of which he wrote more than 100. Hahn was born in Caracas b ...
, who was greatly influenced by his teacher
Jules Massenet Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (; 12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are '' Manon'' (1884) and ''Werther' ...
. He greatly expanded the genre of French operetta, of which ''
Ciboulette ''Ciboulette'' is a French opérette in three acts, music by Reynaldo Hahn, libretto by Robert de Flers and Francis de Croisset, first performed at the Théâtre des Variétés, in Paris, on 7 April 1923. One of the most elegant and refined compo ...
'' was his most famous work; he also composed operas as ''Le Merchand de Venise''. Before the foregoing had occurred, José María Osorio had composed early
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 ...
s. The first Venezuelan zarzuela to debut, however, was
José Ángel Montero José Ángel Montero (born Caracas October 2, 1832 - died Caracas August 24, 1881) was a Venezuelan opera composer, a contemporary of the Brazilian Antônio Carlos Gomes, Carlos Gomes. As ''maestro di capilla'' at the cathedral of Caracas he wrot ...
's ''Los alemanes en Italia'', in the 1860s. Montero also debuted the zarzuelas ''El Cumpleaños de Leonor'', ''El Charlatán Mudo'', ''La Modista'', and many others. Another major zarzuela composer was
Pedro Elías Gutiérrez Pedro Elías Gutiérrez (March 14, 1870–May 31, 1954) was a Venezuelan musician who is mainly remembered for the song ''Alma Llanera'', whose music he composed for the zarzuela of the same name. Gutiérrez also led the Orquesta Caraque ...
, who used Venezuelan rhythms. His most important work was perhaps ''Alma Llanera'', with lyrics by
Rafael Bolívar Coronado Rafael Bolívar Coronado was a Venezuelan composer and author. He was born on 6 June 1884 in Villa de Cura, Aragua State. Bolívar is best known for writing the lyrics of the popular joropo song '' Alma Llanera'', in conjunction with composer P ...
. In the 20th century,
Caracas Caracas (, ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, abbreviated as CCS, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the ...
had a rich cultural tradition. Teatro Maderero, Teatro Caracas, and the more modern
Teatro Nacional Teatro may refer to: * Theatre * Teatro (band), musical act signed to Sony BMG * Teatro (Willie Nelson album), ''Teatro'' (Willie Nelson album), 1998 * Teatro (Draco Rosa album), ''Teatro'' (Draco Rosa album), 2008 {{disambiguation ...
and Teatro Municipal competed for the public's attention. The Teatro Maderero and Teatro Caracas, after the construction of the latter two, played a secondary role and were nearly always used for popular musical acts, such as reviews and fandango. The Teatro Nacional was the theater for the country's finest zarzuela, while the Municipal typically staged Italian, German and French works, which were more serious. Today Venezuelan operas are typically held in the
Teatro Teresa Carreño Teatro may refer to: * Theatre * Teatro (band) Teatro, Italian for "theatre", is a vocal group signed to the Sony BMG music label. The members of Teatro are Jeremiah James, Andrew Alexander, Simon Bailey and Stephen Rahman-Hughes. Band members ...
. Contemporary Venezuelan opera composers include
María Luisa Escobar María Luisa González Gragirena de Escobar (née María Luisa González Gragirena; known artistically by her married name María Luisa Escobar; also credited as Maritza Graxirena; 5 December 1903 – 14 May 1985) was a Venezuelan musicologist, pi ...
, whose works include ''Kanaime'', ''Orquídeas Azules'', and ''Princesa Girasol''. Other important composers are
Hector Pellegatti In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...
(author of the ''
verismo In opera, ''verismo'' (, from , meaning "true") was a post-Romantic operatic tradition associated with Italian composers such as Pietro Mascagni, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Umberto Giordano, Francesco Cilea and Giacomo Puccini. ''Verismo'' as an ...
'' opera ''El Negro Miguel'' with lyrics by Pedro Blanco Vilariño),
Alexis Rago Alexis may refer to: People Mononym * Alexis (poet) ( – ), a Greek comic poet * Alexis (sculptor), an ancient Greek artist who lived around the 3rd or 4th century BC * Alexis (singer) (born 1968), German pop singer * Alexis (comics) (1946–1977 ...
(author of ''El Páramo'', ''Miranda'', and ''Froilán el Infausto''), Eric Colon (author of '' El Caballero de Ledesma''), Federico Ruíz (author of the famous opera buffa ', with a libretto by
Aquiles Nazoa Aquiles Nazoa (Caracas, 17 May 1920 - 26 April 1976) was a Venezuelan writer, journalist, poet and humorist. His work expressed the values of popular Venezuelan culture. Career He worked in the newspaper '' El Universal'' as a packer, later b ...
). Other recent premieres include the opera ''Gertrudis'' by Gerardo Gerulewicz, with a libretto by , which premiered in concert and in full stage production in Caracas, Venezuela. Venezuelan-American composer
Sylvia Constantinidis Sylvia Constantinidis (born December 3, 1962) is a Venezuelan-American pianist, composer, and conductor. Early life and education Sylvia Constantinidis was born in Venezuela and began her study of music at an early age in Caracas. Her musi ...
who has written music and libretto for several lyrical works: two dramatic contemporary operas, ''Araminta'' and ''Afrodita''; one experimental short opera, ''Aurora''; and three children operas, ''Lincoln'', ''Ponce de Leon'', and ''The First ThanksGiving''. Some scenes from ''Araminta'' were premiered in concert in England 2017. ''Afrodita'' was premiered in concert in England 2015 and in Miami, USA, also in 2015. ''Aurora'', the experimental short opera, was premiered in England in 2011. The three children operas: ''Lincoln'', ''Ponce de Leon'', and ''The First ThanksGiving'', were all premiered in Florida, USA, in 2001, 2002, and 2003. For these three children operas Constantinidis received the Educator of Note Award 2003 by the Ethel and W. George Kennedy Family Foundation, and the Young Patronesses of the Opera, the Florida Grand Opera.


Venezuelan lyric singers

The sopranos
Fedora Alemán Fedora Alemán (11 October 1912 – 6 February 2018) was a Venezuelan operatic soprano. One of Venezuela's most celebrated singers, she performed in concert halls throughout Latin America and Europe. Early life, education and family Born in Caraca ...
, Cecilia Nuñez, Flor García, Aurra Cipriani, Reyna Calanche, Leila Mastrocola, , Beatriz Michelena, Carmen Hurtado, , Margot Pares-Reyna, Rosita del Castillo, Rosa Savoini, Alba Simara, , Thays Vergara and Lola Linares, mezzosopranos
Morella Muñoz Morella Valarino Muñoz (July 29, 1935 – July 15, 1995), was a celebrated Venezuelan mezzo-soprano. She performed as a child under the pseudonym Morella Kenton, and as an adult as Morella Muñoz. She achieved national and international fame as ...
, Nancy Fabiola Herrera, Teresa Carreño, Mariela Valladares, and
Aida Navarro Aida Navarro (born October 17, 1937), is a Venezuelan mezzo-soprano, born in Caracas. She studied lyric singing in Venezuela, The U.S. and in Vienna, Austria. She excelled in many opera and chamber music presentations in Europe and Latin Americ ...
, contralto , the tenors Fernando Michelena,
Alfredo Sadel Manuel Alfredo Sánchez Luna, better known as Alfredo Sadel (February 22, 1930 – June 28, 1989) was a popular Venezuelan singer and actor. Early life Manuel Alfredo Sánchez Luna was born in Caracas, Venezuela, to Manuel Sánchez Benítez and ...
, , ,
Nico Castel Nico Castel (August 1, 1931 – May 31, 2015), born Naftali Chaim Castel Kalinhoff, was a comprimario tenor and well-known language and diction coach, as well as a prolific translator of libretti and writer of books on singing diction. Although Cas ...
,
Rubén Domínguez Rubén Domínguez may refer to: * Rubén Domínguez (tenor) (1935-2015), Venezuelan tenor * Rubén Domínguez (footballer) (born 1987), Spanish football manager and former footballer * Rubén Domínguez (basketball) (born 2003), Spanish basketb ...
, Ruben Malnez, Idwer Alvarez, Manuel Pérez,
David Hidalgo David Kent Hidalgo (born October 6, 1954, in Los Angeles.) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Los Lobos. Hidalgo frequently plays musical instruments such as accordion, violin, 6-string banjo, cello, requin ...
, Eduardo Melgar, Edgar Bastidas, Sergio Duran, Julio Felce, Gregory Pino, Ugo Corsetti,
Francisco Morales Francisco Morales may refer to: *Francisco Morales Bermúdez, Peruvian politician and general *Francisco Morales (baseball), Venezuelan baseball pitcher *Francisco Morales Vivas Francisco Morales Vivas (born August 31, 1971) is a retired male ...
and Blas Martínez, baritones Ramón Iriarte, Francisco Salazar, William Alvarado, Sergio Daniele, Gaspar Colón Moleiro and ,
Jorge Páez Jorge Adolfo Páez (born October 27, 1965) is a Mexican actor, circus performer and former professional boxer. In boxing he held the WBO and IBF featherweight titles. Paez's nickname of ''"El Maromero"'' is in honor of the somersault (referred ...
and bass Daniel Bendahan, Claudio Muskus, Pedro Liendo, , Samuel Jones, Yunis Sujur and Carlos Maury.


Venezuelan conductors

Atanasio Bello Montero Atanasio Bello Montero (born in Caracas) was a nineteenth-century Venezuelan composer and music educator. Montero trained under Pedro Palacios y Sojo and founded an academy for music in Caracas with Luís Jumel in 1821. With José María Izáza ...
, Ángel Sauce,
Gustavo Dudamel Gustavo Adolfo Dudamel Ramírez (born 26 January 1981) is a Venezuelan conductor and violinist who is the music director of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Paris Opera. Early life Dudamel was bor ...
,
Primo Casale Primo Casale (1904–1981) was an Italian-born Venezuelan conductor, composer, and violinist. Casale was born in Lombardy, Italy. He was first a violinist at La Scala and participated in recitals for Radio Audizioni Italiane. He came to Vene ...
, Angelo Pagliucca, ,
Eduardo Marturet Eduardo Marturet (born September 19, 1953) is a Venezuelan conductor and composer represented by Tempo Primo. He is the Music Director and Conductor of The Miami Symphony Orchestra (MISO). Biography Eduardo Marturet enjoys an active career on ...
, Eduardo Rahn, , Cesar Ivan Lara, Rafael Payare,
Rodolfo Saglimbeni Rodolfo Saglimbeni (born 8 December 1962, in Barquisimeto, Venezuela) is a conductor. He studied music in Venezuela and then at the Royal Academy of Music of London with Colin Metters, John Carewe and George Hurst (conductor), George Hurst, obtai ...
, Teresa Carreño, , .


See also

*
Opera in Latin America The history of opera in Latin America dates back to at least the early 18th century. Opera arrived in Latin America as a consequence of European colonization. On October 19, 1701, '' La púrpura de la rosa'' premiered in Lima in the Viceroyalty of ...


References

{{Americas topic, Opera in
Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
Music of Venezuela