1. Reviews Instituto Hemingway. Zarzuela opera for the students of Castilian
language in Instituto Hemingway Bilbao
At Instituto Hemingway we have organised another cultural activity for students
studying on our Spanish courses. This week, on the 27th January 2010 we will meet at
the Arriaga theatre to experience the famous Zarzuela titled El Barberillo de Lavapiés.
The Zarzuela is a Spanish musical genre which became popular at the beginning of the
20th century. Zarzuelas are still very popular in Spain and many of their songs are
known by everybody and form part of popular culture. Zarzuela by definition is a form
of theatrical music, or a genre of music composed for the stage which emerged in Spain
and has instrumental elements, vocal elements, (solos, duos, chorus…) and spoken
elements. Zarzuela differs from opera in that it is sung on Spanish, and it includes
spoken sections as opposed to the predictable recitations of opera.
El Barberillo de Lavapiés is the name of opera that we will be going to hear on the 27th
January.
Madrid, 1770. The Spanish king is Charles III. Political intrigue is all the rage, from the
Marquis of Esquilache to the Count of Aranda to Grimaldi and the Count of
Floridablanca. This is the backdrop of two love stories: those of plebeians Paloma and
Lamparilla, and nobles La Marquesita Estrella (from Floridablanca’s side) and Don
Luis de Haro (Grimaldi’s nephew). After a thousand and one vicissitudes, Grimaldi is
toppled and Floridablanca takes over power. Bliss comes then to Madrid in general and
to the couples in the story.
