Janos Gereben <[log in to unmask]> writes:

>That opera is called a musical, while "Ainadamar" is presented as an
>opera, although it's clearly a zarzuela.  Categories don't matter,
>whatever makes you hold your breath does.

Janos's report whets the appetite to hear "Ainadamar", though I hope
it's better than the banal and pretentious "Passion".  I absolutely agree
with him that categories don't matter; though I'm intrigued to learn how
an apparently through-written work (?) full of concerted vocal writing
(??), in English (???), could fit even the most flexible definition of
"zarzuela"!

Sometimes non-Hispanic composers (Paul Bowles and Gottschalk come to
mind) have called their theatre work "zarzuelas", but I suspect that
this derives from relish for the exotic word itself, rather than any
kinship with the genre.  Zarzuela is notoriously hard to define, but
spoken dialogue (averaging 50% of the running time) is de rigeur, the
dance forms are crucially urban and rarely derived from flamenco tradition,
whilst choruses and solos/duets rather than concerted numbers are the
norm.

Tangentially, the more I learn about the fabulous riches of Hispanic
romantic and modern music, the more frustrating I find it that - by
historical accident - we tend to mistake the Andalusian/flamenco musical
accent for pure Castilian.  Zarzuela in particular is aesthetically very
far removed from flamenco, tauromachia, and rural Andalusia, being much
more urban, cosmopolitan, socially concerned and outward-looking.

A host of great Iberian composers such as Guridi, Sorozabal, Vives,
Toldra, Serrano, Chueca and Chapi (all quite as esteemed within Spain
as the Andalusian-inspired school of Pedrell - de Falla, Granados,
Albeniz, Gerhard) have as little to do with flamenco as ... well, as
Vaughan Williams had to do with the Highland Reel!!

Christopher Webber, Blackheath, London, UK
http://www.zarzuela.net
"ZARZUELA!" The Spanish Music Site