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| ENTRE
BILBAO Y YOUTUBE Teatro Arriaga Bilbao's "Entre Sevilla y Triana" comes to YouTube... Christopher Webber on another Sorozabalian triumph |
AN
ARCADIA OF POETRY, BEAUTY AND SENSUALITY Viento es la dicha de Amor - Teatro de la Zarzuela - Miccone review (Español) |
| MORE
SERRANO, PLEASE! With his review of the new double bill of "La reina mora" and "Alma de Dios", our ineluctable reviewer Miccone issues an urgent S.O.S. (Español) (English) |
MARINA (Opera
version) Teatro de la Zarzuela, March-April 2013 (Español) |
| ¡AY
AMOR! A new era at Teatro de la Zarzuela ... and a new review by Miccone (English) (Español) |
EL
JURAMENTO 2000 Emilio Sagi's successful production for Teatro de la Zarzuela is revived. A review by Ignacio Jassa Haro (Español) |
| LA
CHULAPONA So, thirty years after the famous production's premiere, how does this 2012 revival stack up? Review by Ignacio Jassa Haro (Español) |
LYRIC SEASON
AT TEATROS DE CANAL "Amadeu", "Candide" - and a baffling "Dúo de La africana". Ignacio Jassa Haro reports... (Español) |
| NANCY FABIOLA
HERRERA - GITANAS EN CONCIERTO Fiver pairs of earrings, five costumes - and superb vocal powers to match, Miccone on the latest Teatro de la Zarzuela concert (Español) |
EL
RELÁMPAGO Zarzuela by Barbieri and Camprodón - Teatro de la Zarzuela concert version. A review by Ignacio Jassa Haro (Español) |
| XIMENA
AGURTO The winner of the 2011 Fundación Guerrero International Singing Competition impresses Christopher Webber in her London debut (Español) (English) |
EL GATO
MONTÉS A disillusioned Miccone questions the value of reviving such a "musical cadaver" at Teatro de la Zarzuela (Español) |
| ZARZUELA
CONCERTS 2011/12 Teatro de la Zarzuela has hosted four concerts over the last few months, culminating in a superb musical Christmas offering... (Español) |
LOS
SOBRINOS DEL CAPITÁN GRANT Yet another revival, and yet another warm welcome, for Teatro de la Zarzuela's much-loved Christmas standby. Ignacio Jassa Haro reports... (Español) |
| DOUBLE
DELIGHT Unlikely pairing of naughty revue and Andalusian tragedy at Madrid's Teatro de la Zarzuela is a huge hit with Christopher Webber (Español) (English) |
PURE
FILTH Christopher Webber relishes a traditional take on "La corte de Faraón" at Madrid's Teatro Compac Gran Vía |
| LAS DE
CAÍN Teatro Español continues its exploration of neglected Sorozábal zarzuelas with a nostalgic summer spectacular (Español) |
LA
MARSELLESA Ópera Cómica de Madrid revive Caballero's classic at Teatro Cervantes, Málaga. Miccone reports... (Español) |
| NO, IT
CAN'T BE! ANOTHER LUISA FERNANDA The new Teatro de la Zarzuela production, sweetly sung but dubiously directed. Miccone reports (Español) |
COMMEMORATION AT CANAL "La revoltosa" opens Carlos Fernández Shaw Year, at Teatros del Canal. Miccone opens up the key points (Español) |
| "ZARZUELA
BRITÁNICA A LA CATALANA" An attractive staging of "Ruddigore" (Gilbert & Sullivan) highlights the enviable healthy state of Catalan's music theatre, says Ignacio Jassa Haro (Español) |
GLORIOUS
DOUBLE Christopher Webber revels in the Teatro de la Zarzuela's new production of rare short zarzuelas by Gaztambide and Barbieri (Español) (English) |
| AMADEU Not Mozart, but Vives in Albert Boadella's smash-hit polemic musical at Teatros del Canal. Christopher Webber witnesses a moving epic... |
SINGABLE
SPANISH GOLD Songs of the Iberian Peninsula on the New York Festival of Song at Merkin Hall, Manhattan. Richard Traubner reports |
| LA DEL
SOTO DEL PARRAL Richard Traubner on the Teatro de la Zarzuela's new production of a verismo classic (Español) (English) |
A COOL CAT IN
NEW YORK Distinguished American critic Richard Traubner enjoys Montsalvatge's "El gato con botas" at the New Victory Theatre... (Español) (English) |
| LIFE IN
THE CORPSE Christopher Webber's retrospective and Enrique Mejías' review on Teatro de la Zarzuela's revelatory revival of "Los diamantes de la corona" (Español) (English) |
BACK TO
THE FUTURE Barbieri's "Los diamantes de la corona" glitter again in Madrid in the new Teatro de la Zarzuela production(Español) (English) |
| A TRULY
MAGIC OPAL Madrid revives in oncert one of Albéniz's major stage works, premiered in 1893 London (Español) (English) |
CLEMENTINA: A REAL
ZARZUELA? Boccherini and de la Cruz's refined pseudo-opera at the Teatro Español. Ignacio Jassa Haro has doubts. (Español) (English) |
| COMIC-BOOK
OPERA Luis Olmos's production of La tabernera del Puerto returns stronger than ever (Español)(English) |
REVIEW
ROUND-UP Our Spanish reviewers have been working overtime! Here's an English review digest of important new productions in Oviedo, Barcelona and of course Madrid |
| JUAN
JOSÉ Pablo Sorozábal's opera finally goes public. Christopher Webber finds it a pearl of great price (Español) (English) |
LA GRAN
VÍA… ESQUINA A CHUECA Paco Mir's radical rewrite brings Chueca into the 21st Century. Enrique Mejías García reports... (Español) (English) |
| EL
AMA Jacinto Guerrero's forgotten zarzuela revived in Barcelona. José María Busqué Doménech reports. (Español) (English) |
A CHICKEN
HOME TO ROOST Ópera Cómica de Madrid's latest staging, another Caballero rarity restored (Español) (English) |
| 2008
CONCERT SERIES A diary by Ignacio Jassa Haro (Español) (English) |
NOT JUST THE
DOG WHICH NEEDS DOCTORING? Luis Olmos's "El rey que rabió" revival at Teatro de la Zarzuela has Enrique Mejías García foaming at the mouth (Español) (English) |
| LA
CELESTINA Enrique Mejías García on a long-delayed operatic premiere (Español) (English) |
MÚSICA
CLÁSICA Teatro de la Zarzuela hits the mark with its first Show for Kids. Ignacio Jassa Haro reports (Español) (English) |
| KATIUSKA Emilio Sagi's radical reframing of Sorozábal's masterpiece puts the composer at the centre of the picture. Christopher Webber reports from Bilbao's Teatro Arriaga (Español) (English) |
AN
AFFAIR OF THE HEART Emilio Sagi's love for LA GENERALA blooms again at Teatro de la Zarzuela. Christopher Webber reviews (Español) (English) |
| BARBIERI
AND OUDRID IN THE PARK ... finishing the Sabatini summer season. Enrique Mejías García and Christopher Webber were there (Español) (English) |
LIGHTNING
STRIKES TWICE Christopher Webber on Sheffield University's latest Spanish baroque triumph, Calderón and Hidalgo's CELOS AUN DEL AIRE MATAN (Español) (English) |
| LAS BRIBONAS "...you wouldn't be able to stage this show in London or New York today without getting your theatre closed down, or torched" Infamous pleasures in Madrid (Español) (English) |
ZARZUELA
BALADA Hangman, Hangman! and its sequel, cartoon ballad-operas by Catalan-American Leonardo Balada, reviewed on stage in Madrid, and on Naxos CD (Español) (English) |
| EL BARBERO DE SEVILLA /
BOHEMIOS A neatly devised "operatic" bill at Madrid's Teatro de la Zarzuela. Christopher Webber reports (Español) (English) |
LUISA FERNANDA Luisa comes home to Madrid with Domingo, Montiel and Bros in a stellar vocal evening. Review by Christopher Webber |
| SUNDAY IN THE PARK... with Enrique García Asensio and the Banda Sinfónica, a Madrid tradition maintained. Christopher Webber takes the air |
El
BARBERILLO DE LAVAPIÉS Christopher Webber on Calixto Bieito's latest tangle with the traditionalists (Español) (English) |
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| CD, DVD reviews |
| CD MAGAZINE New and reissued recordings from Spain, Europe and America - Zarzuela, Spanish and Hispanic American Opera and composers |
|
| GORGEOUS
GURIDI Naxos continue their love affair with the Basque composer's music, with this glorious new CD of the complete string quartets |
FIRST RECORDING OF
'CÁDIZ' (DG) We've waited over 125 years for a studio recording of Chueca and Valverde's patriotic 1886 epic. How do DG fare? |
| THE SONGS OF JULIO
GÓMEZ A neglected composer is well-served by mezzo Anna Tonna, in Verso's representative new CD |
MELANCOLÍA Patricia Petibon's Spanish Album from DG certainly succeeds in evoking it for Christopher Webber |
| VIVA MADRID DG's CD gala starring Plácido Domingo has Ian Brown leaping for the fast-forward button |
AMOR AUMENTA EL
VALOR Los Músicos de Su Alteza interpret José de Nebra's opera most satisfyingly (Gerardo Fernández San Emeterio) (Español) (English) |
| HABANERA Latvian superstar mezzo Elīna Garanča: "I love Spanish zarzuela". Does it love her? Christopher Webber's thoughts... |
A WINNING
WITCH Deutsche Grammophon's latest entry in their zarzuela CD series features José Bros in fine fettle (Español) (English) |
| DURÓN
DERAILED Gerardo Fernández San Emeterio gives a guarded welcome to the CD premiere of "Salir el Amor del mundo" (Español) (English) |
ARGENTA'S FIRST
VERBENA Naxos offer downloads of the legendary Maestro's rarely-heard 1952 first take on Bretón's classic |
| ALL FUR COAT AND
NO KNICKERS Christopher Webber is stunned by Emilio Sagi's Valencia trainwreck of a Chapí classic, more "Rey Ubú" than "Rey que rabió" |
CLEMENTINA It's been a long wait for a CD set in Spanish, but Heras-Casado and his Aranjuez forces do Boccherini's famous zarzuela proud |
| A WARNING TO
TOPERS Novoson's "Château Margaux" CD is badly corked - what's left of it. Ian Brown explains... |
2010 CD
ROUNDUP Argenta remastered, a comic opera by Falla (yes!), and some superb tonadilla from Glossa are pick of the crop |
| MOMPOU
BALLETS Catalunya's finest 20th composer for piano was Frederic Mompou. How many of his admirers know he also wrote major ballet scores? Another classic Naxos release from Jordi Masó |
ESPAÑA: A CHORAL POSTCARD FROM
SPAIN Coro Cervantes's new release for Signum Classics offers much more than the well-beaten tourist track. |
| THREE SOPRANOS AND
LA ZARZUELA Another patchy gala from the Teatro Real. Ian Brown decides who passes their auditions... |
MORE NOVOSON
REISSUES including many zarzuela recordings never before heard on CD. Ian Brown reports... |
| JUAN JOSÉ ON
CD Pablo Sorozábal's late opera in Musikene's new box set. Christopher Webber reviews this splendidly gritty "Wozzeck Madrileño" (Español) (English) |
IL BURBERO DI BUON
CUORE A brilliant libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte, with music to match by ... well, not Soler's. DVD review of a Teatro Real rarity. |
| BALADA'S COLUMBUS
OPERAS Dignified diptych from a celebrated Catalan-American, with Caballe and Carreras at the helm. Christopher Webber reviews... |
KATIUSKA ON
DVD Sorozábal's earliest zarzuela given the Sagi treatment ... a sumptuous musical and visual feast from Bilbao's Teatro Arriaga (Español) (English) |
| CLASSIC
CHAPÍ Delightful picture book / cd souvenir of Teatro de la Zarzuela's "Música clásica" from Fundación Caja Madrid (Español) (English) |
CHUECA ON
NOVOSON Ian Brown is only damply enthusiastic about this reissue from the Alhambra classic zarzuela series, from Novoson (Español) (English) |
| ARGENTA RISES
AGAIN Ian Brown reports on an important reissue from Argenta's classic zarzuela series, by small independent Novoson (Español) (English) |
PARTY
POOPER Marina Bollaín's salsa street party Verbena may be a hit, but for Christopher Webber the sangria turns sour (Español) (English) |
| IN THE MUSTY MUSIC
ROOM Christopher Webber reports on the search for fool's gold ... a batch of Spanish Italian operas (that's right) by Martín, García and Arrieta - and a refreshing zarzueloid novelty by Castel (Español) (English) |
A JOB FOR THE
BOYS After their CD triumph with Torregrosa, the virtuoso trebles of El Escorial tackle Chueca, with fantastic aplomb (Español) (English) |
| ALONSO'S CURRO EL DE
LORA "the most important zarzuela recording of the last twenty years". Ignacio Jassa Haro reviews... (Español) (English) |
LA TEMPRANICA
(DG) A triumph for María Bayo, and a new benchmark recording. DG's failure to distribute it worldwide, then, is "sad, mad and bad". (Español) (English) |
| MONCKTON
- SONGS FROM THE SHOWS Highly influential worldwide (not least on the opereta-zarzuela) Monckton's Edwardian show songs come up fresh as paint in a desirable compilation from Hyperion (Español) (English) |
ENSAMBLE DE MADRID -
ZARZUELA EN FORMATO DE CÁMARA VOLS 2 + 3 Two further volumes in a delightful series of sextet arrangements (Español) (English) |
| SHORT
REVIEW ROUNDUP 2007 CDs which slipped through the zarzuela.net, including a recital by Manuel Sirera, tonadillas by Manuel García, and a José Bros / María Gallego gala (Español) (English) |
ZARZUELA FOR
KIDS? A new disc of Spanish songs from the boys of Escolania del Escorial has a fascinating filler - a children's zarzuela from 1903! (Español) (English) |
| ZARZUELA
BALADA Hangman, Hangman! and its sequel, cartoon ballad-operas by Catalan-American Leonardo Balada, reviewed on stage in Madrid, and on Naxos CD (Español) (English) |
BRETÓN: WORKS
FOR PIANO TRIO A sunny new version of Bretón's little-known chamber repertoire from Naxos |
| GOTTSCHALK
ORCHESTRAL WORKS (NAXOS) Featuring the composer's only surviving stage work, the tonadilla Escenas Campestras Cubanas |
TOLDRÀ - EL
GIRAVOLT DE MAIG One of the hidden treasures of Catalan stage music in a beautiful new recording from Harmonia Mundi France (Español) (English) |
| ROLANDO
VILLAZÓN - GITANO Andrew Lamb welcomes a winning recital CD/DVD from Virgin Classics, involving two great tenors for the price of one! (Español) (English) |
ZARZUELAS Four complete "classic" recordings from Naïve, bargain-boxed in one slimline package. How do they stack up? (Español) (English) |
| [ all reviews in CD MAGAZINE ] |
| features & books |
| TEATRO DE
LA ZARZUELA Is the 2013-14 season (just announced) the triumph of PR over aesthetic sense? Christopher Webber writes... |
|
| ENTRE
SEVILLA Y TRIANA A full synopsis, introduction and song texts for Sorozábal's sparkling post-war homage to Sevilla, from Christopher Webber |
ZARZUELA ROMANZAS - VOCAL
SCORES Real Musical-Carisch: 20 Romanzas for Soprano / 20 Romanzas for Tenor (Saúl Aguado, editor) (Español) |
| LECUONA
SCORE Good news for Lecuona fans: an orchestral score of "María la O" from E.B.Marks. Christopher Webber takes a peek |
RICHARD
TRAUBNER Andrew Lamb and Ignacio Jassa Haro pay homage to our great former contributor (Español) (English) |
| LUIS
SAGI-VELA A legend departs, at 99. Christopher Webber pays tribute to one of zarzuela's all-time greats (Español) (English) |
RICARDO
JIMÉNEZ Pedro Gómez Manzanares interviews one of the finest Spanish tenors (Español) (English) |
| ÁNGEL
FERNÁNDEZ MONTESINOS Pedro Gómez Manzanares talks to the doyen of Spanish stage directors (Español) (English) |
GUIDE DE LA
ZARZUELA Christopher Webber is stimulated by a lively new French guide to the genre by Pierre René-Serna |
| GUILLERMO
FERNÁNDEZ-SHAW The appearance of this great librettist's memoirs proves a treasure trove - Enrique Mejías García reviews |
2012-2013 Presentation of Teatro de la Zarzuela's new season - commentary and analysis by Ignacio Jassa Haro (Español) |
| CARLOS
MUNGUÍA DIES Another link with the golden age of zarzuela recording is severed. We have a brief obituary of this fine Basque tenor |
LOLA
CASARIEGO Pedro Gómez Manzanares in conversation with one of Spain's most iconic singers (Español) (English) |
| LA RIOJA
ZARZUELA INSTITUTE, 2012 Pablo Zinger reveals details of a dynamic new venture for young and aspiring zarzuela singers (Español) (English) |
VIENTO ES
LA DICHA DE AMOR - BY DE NEBRA? The new ICCMU critical edition, edited by José Máximo Leza (Gerardo Fernández San Emeterio) (Español) (English) |
| MARCO
MONCLOA "You need to reinvent every day". One of Spain's leading baritones talks to Pedro Gómez Manzanares (Español) (English) |
FELISA
HERRERO A new biography of the soprano known as "the muse of zarzuela" by Pedro Gomez Manzanares (Español) (English) |
| AN AIR OF
ENNUI As the new season begins in Madrid, we have a critical retrospective of Teatro de la Zarzuela's achievement in 2010-11 |
ZARZUELA
CONTRA LA CRISIS Ignacio Jassa Haro on the new season at Teatro de la Zarzuela, the change in management, and zarzuela's "state of the nation" (Español) |
| BÁRBARA
LLANES The leading Cuban lyric soprano, in conversation with Christopher Webber |
TOÑY
ROSADO - MADRILEÑA BONITA Gerardo Fernández San Emeterio with personal memories of a great singer, 15 years after her death (Español) (English) |
| DE LA
ZARZUELA AL CINE - LA VOZ MARGINAL Enrique Mejías García reviews a fascinating collection of essays on "the marginal voice - from zarzuela to cine" (Español) (English) |
ENERGY
INJECTION IN CALLE JOVELLANOS Ignacio Jassa Haro meets the fiery new Musical Director at Teatro de la Zarzuela (Español) (English) |
| "DE MADRID A
LONDRES" Christopher Webber's meets Carlos Aransay - conductor, chorus master, singer, founder of Coro Cervantes... and much else (Español) (English) |
GUERRERO
SCORES Handsome is as handsome does: Christopher Webber takes a look at some new publications from Fundación Guerrero |
| THE FONT MARCO
FAMILY - ILLUMINATING ZARZUELA The famous family of Compañía Lírica Dolores Marco - Montserrat, María Dolores, Amelia, Lorenzo y Eva - talking with Pedro Gómez Manzanares (Español) (English) |
ONE OF US Klaus Heymann, founder of Naxos, talks to Christopher Webber about the label's essential Spanish Classics series (Español) (English) |
| LUIS VARELA Key actor in Spanish contemporary theatre, in conversation with Pedro Gómez Manzanares (English) (Español) |
TWO HUNDRED YEARS
OF MAESTRO CAMPANONE Andrew Lamb delves into the complex history behind one of zarzuela's most curious adaptations, and comes up with some surprising conclusions |
| THE DESERT
BLOOMS Mary Montaño on the fascinating history of zarzuela in New Mexico (Español) (English) |
ZARZUELA IN
SECOND LIFE Metaverse TV present the first, live global lecture on zarzuela - Sunday 28 February at 3pm Pacific Time! |
| CUBAN
ZARZUELA Christopher Webber's full review of Susan Thomas's new study - an "enlightening and indispensable book" (Español) (English) |
CLASSIC
CHAPÍ Delightful picture book / cd souvenir of Teatro de la Zarzuela's "Música clásica" from Fundación Caja Madrid(English) (Español) |
| LOS CHICOS
DE LA ESCUELA Complete texts and translations of Torregrosa and "Quinito" Valverde's one-act zarzuela, written in 1903 for performance by a children's company. |
ANTONIO
GARCÍA GUTIÉRREZ The wild young tiger who wrote the play behind Verdi's "Il Trovatore" and grew into the respected literary lion of La Zarzuela |
| ROBERT
POURVOYEUR The passing of the great international zarzuela aficionado is marked by Andrew Lamb's personal appreciation |
FEDERICO
CHUECA ONE HUNDRED YEARS ON On June 20th 1908, Federico Chueca, El alma de Madrid, died in his beloved city. CHRISTOPHER WEBBER examines the work and reputation of "the great original of zarzuela composers" one hundred years on (Español) (English) |
| CRISTÓBAL OUDRID A short biographical article on one of the founding fathers of the romantic zarzuela.Also new, a synopsis and introduction to his zarzuela BUENAS NOCHES SEÑOR DON SIMÓN |
LA
GENERALA: WHEN VIENNA COMES TO MADRID ANDREW LAMB's comprehensive article was written for the programme of Emilio Sagi's new Teatro de la Zarzuela production, where it appears in Spanish translation. Here is the English original... |
| ANTOINE LE DUC "La Zarzuela - Voyage autour du théâtre lyrique national espagnol" expands on the author's excellent earlier writing. Christopher Webber reviews the new book |
EL
PUDÍN NEGRO DE STORNOWAY An intriguing mix of genres, Torregrosa's neglected comedy classic deserves swift revival - full notes and synopsis (December 28th 2007) |
| A VISIT TO
OVIEDO Andrew Lamb finds plenty to relish in and out of the theatre, at Asturia's 14th Zarzuela Festival |
THE
ZARZUELA COMPANION "The value of this work for English speakers is incalculable." Christopher Webber's book reviewed by Pablo Zinger |
| [ more features in ARCHIVE ] | ZARZUELA
CENSORED! "Spanish Troubles Old and New" a report from EÑAUT OTAZO ALZA |
| News |
| JUAN
JOSÉ The long-delayed premiere of Pablo Sorozábal's "popular lyric drama" announced for Donostia/San Sebastián and Madrid (Español) (English) |
PASIÓN! When Calixto Bieito directs a zarzuela gala, expect more than the customary costume gallery of teeth and smiles. At Theater Basel from next month... |
| PABLO SOROZÁBAL
SERRANO The death has been announced in Madrid of Pablo Sorozábal's only son, Pablo. A brief obituary... |
MANUEL AUSENSI The great Spanish opera and zarzuela baritone, whose death in Barcelona has been announced. Brief obituaries (Español) (English) (2/9/05) |
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| Older features, news articles and stage
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