''La Dolorosa'' (The Holy Virgin of the Sorrows) is a ''

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 o ...

'' by the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

composer José Serrano. ''La Dolorosa'' was premiered at the Teatro Apolo in

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

on 23 May 1930 with a text by J.J.Lorente. Before this, Serrano suffered the tragic loss of a child. His work hints at the grandeur that strengthens the pain.

Plot summary

Act One

The first act introduces us to Rafael, a

monk A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...

who recently arrived at a

convent A convent is an enclosed community of monks, nuns, friars or religious sisters. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The term is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...

where he seeks to create his work of art: a painting of'' La Dolorosa'' that brings him so many rich memories that even the convent's

Prior The term prior may refer to: * Prior (ecclesiastical), the head of a priory (monastery) * Prior convictions, the life history and previous convictions of a suspect or defendant in a criminal case * Prior probability, in Bayesian statistics * Prio ...

and Brother Lucas begin to notice and doubt the spiritual serenity of their new brother. The convent’s

orchard An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit tree, fruit- or nut (fruit), nut-producing trees that are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also so ...

turns out to be an ideal place for the inspiration Rafael seeks. Perico, his helper, wants to learn to paint and begs Rafael to explain the painting to him; he consents, singing a painful love song. In the next scene, Perico stands alone trying to copy his teacher. Nicasia arrives and declares her love openly. Perico does not want to lose the girl, nor fall under her spell, but she ends up yielding to his amorous desires. As they celebrate their love, the dance is interrupted by Bienvenido, the girl’s father, who forbids his daughter from entering a relationship. José, Perico’s father, tries to keep the peace, and everyone ends up acquiescing to the young couple’s desires. During the afternoon, Jose arrives at the convent asking for help for a woman who he found carrying a very small child in her arms. Upon seeing them, Perico recognizes in them the features of La Dolorosa that Rafael is painting. When he arrives later to administer medications, he learns from the woman that another man had loved her.

Act Two

The second act continues to follow the two couples. Nicasia and Perico are eagerly preparing for their

wedding A wedding is a ceremony in which two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnicity, ethnicities, Race (human categorization), races, religions, Religious denomination, denominations, Cou ...

. Meanwhile, Rafael and Dolores find themselves alone with a free moment to explain themselves. Dolores, who had left Rafael for another man, has been left in turn and is living unhappily with the consequences of her choices. Rafael, for his part, is confused about his feelings toward Dolores and his spiritual obligations. The scene moves to the interior of the convent. It is the hour for

matins Matins (also Mattins) is a canonical hour in Christian liturgy, originally sung during the darkness of early morning (between midnight and dawn). The earliest use of the term was in reference to the canonical hour, also called the vigil, which w ...

and the prior is pondering Rafael's situation when he hears the song of a group of

minstrel A minstrel was an entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. The term originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist enter ...

s singing outside. Since Rafael still has not appeared in the

chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...

, the prior goes in search of him, and upon finding him, Rafael begs for confession and reveals his feelings: he doesn't want to leave Dolores alone in the world. The final scene is the joyous wedding of Nicasia and Perico. Rafael, having obtained permission from the prior to leave the convent and renounce his oaths, is with Dolores as the two reconciled lovers sing of their joy. {{DEFAULTSORT:Dolorosa, La Zarzuelas Spanish-language operas 1930 operas Operas Operas by José Serrano