Guillermo Fernández Shaw. Zarzuela. Biography and works at Spain is culture.

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Artists and creators / Modernism and avant-garde movements

Guillermo Fernández Shaw

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Speciality

Zarzuela

Date of birth

Feb 26, 1893

Date of death

Aug 17, 1965

" Journalist and playwright. In collaboration with Federico Romero, his librettos for zarzuelas dominated the Spanish opera scene in the years after the Civil War."

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Guillermo Fernández-Shaw Iturralde was born in Madrid in February 1893. During his long and productive partnership with Federico Romero, they adapted numerous works by Lope de Vega and Ruiz de Alarcón. Baroque comedies such as 'La discreta enamorada', 'Peribáñez y el Comendador de Ocaña', 'The dog in the manger' and 'Entre bobos anda el juego', were transformed respectively into the zarzuelas 'Doña Francisquita', 'La Villana', 'La Rosa del Azafrán' and 'Don Lucas del Cigarral', all set to music by Amadeo Vives, except “La Rosa...”, whose music was composed by Jacinto Guerrero. 'Luisa Fernanda' (1932), with music by Federico Moreno Torroba, was another of his successes as a librettist. Part of his legacy is the recovery of texts in the public domain. He died in Madrid on August 17, 1965.

Essential works

Doña Francisquita

One of the most important successes in the history of zarzuela. This magnificent zarzuela by the Catalan maestro Amadeo Vives has been performed thousands of times.
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El caserío

Basque flavour. It is aspires to turn local elements - Basque customs, folklore and traditional values - into a great musical show.
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La rosa del azafrán

Popular folklore, rural setting and classic plot for a zarzuela that became very popular and is well-loved by people who like this genre.
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La tabernera del puerto

A late and masterly zarzuela, in which the traditional seaside atmosphere becomes art.
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Luisa Fernanda

The Madrid of romance and customs shares a prominent role with the rural atmosphere of the pastureland of Extremadura in this successful zarzuela by the composer and maestro Federico Moreno Torroba.
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