The Teatro de la Zarzuela is a theatre in

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

. The theatre is today mainly devoted to

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 ...

(the Spanish traditional musical theatre genre), as well as

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its ...

and

recitals A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety ...

.''A theatre for a genre... History of the Teatro de la Zarzuela''
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History

The theatre was designed by architect Jerónimo de la Gándara and built by José María Sánchez Guallart on the initiative of the Spanish Lyrical Company to provide a space for performances of operettas in the Spanish capital. It was modelled on the

La Scala La Scala (, , ; abbreviation in Italian of the official name ) is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the ' (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performan ...

theatre in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...

with its three-level horseshoe form and opened to the public on 10 October 1856, the birthday of

Queen Isabella II Isabella II ( es, Isabel II; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904), was Queen of Spain from 29 September 1833 until 30 September 1868. Shortly before her birth, the King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a Pragmatic Sanction to ensure the successio ...

. The name refers to zarzuela, a theatre form that alternates spoken and sung scenes. Its promoters were established masters of the genre such as Francisco Asenjo Barbieri, Joaquín Gaztambide, Rafael Hernando, José Inzenga, baritono Francisco de Salas, librettist Luis de Olona and composer

Cristóbal Oudrid Cristóbal (Carlos Domingo Romualdo y Ricardo) Oudrid y Segura (, 7 February 1825 – 13 March 1877) was a Spanish pianist, conductor, and composer. He is noted for his many contributions to the formation and development of the zarzuela genr ...

, under Francisco de las Rivas, an important banker. In the second half of the nineteenth century, Teatro de la Zarzuela became Madrid's leading opera house, staging many of the great masterworks. On November 9, 1909 the building was virtually destroyed by fire. The rebuild by Cesareo Iradier reduced the amount of wood and metal, and in 1914 Maestro

Luna Luna commonly refers to: * Earth's Moon, named "Luna" in Latin * Luna (goddess), the ancient Roman personification of the Moon Luna may also refer to: Places Philippines * Luna, Apayao * Luna, Isabela * Luna, La Union * Luna, San Jose Roma ...

raised the curtain with his orchestra to reopen the theatre. With the

Teatro Real The Teatro Real (Royal Theatre) is an opera house in Madrid, Spain. Located at the Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace, and known colloquially as ''El Real'', it is considered the top institution of the performing and musical arts in the ...

opera house closed from 1925 to 1997, Teatro de la Zarzuela remained Madrid's leading venue throughout the period and hosted most major opera events. The theatre's resident ensemble is the

Community of Madrid Orchestra The Community of Madrid Orchestra ( es, Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid), founded in 1987, is a symphony orchestra in Madrid, Spain. It is the resident orchestra at the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid and performs its concert programs at the Au ...

. The ceiling originally featured magnificent works by the painters Francisco Hernández Tomé and Manuel Castellanos, but these were destroyed in renovations and structural changes that were made in 1956. The theatre then was acquired by the Sociedad General de Autores de España, although much of the facade and interior ornamentation was lost. Later it became the property of the state. In 1984 the Ministry of Culture, with Madrid still lacking an opera house, expanded the range of activities beyond zarzuela and opera to encompass flamenco and other dance. The building was given heritage status in 1994, and in 1998 was again remodelled, restoring much of the original structure and form.

References

External links

Teatro de la Zarzuela official website

Teatro de la Zarzuela official facebook page
{{Authority control Theatres in Madrid Culture in Madrid Opera houses in Spain Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in Madrid Theatres completed in 1856 Music venues completed in 1856 1856 establishments in Spain Buildings and structures in Cortes neighborhood, Madrid

History

See also

References

External links