zarzuela

[zahr-zwey-luh, -zwee-, thahr-thwe-lah, sahr-swe-]

noun

plural

zarzuelas 

1. a Spanish opera having spoken dialogue and often a satirically treated, topical theme.

zarzuela

/ zɑːˈzweɪlə /

noun

1. a type of Spanish vaudeville or operetta, usually satirical in nature

2. a seafood stew

Word History and Origins

Origin of zarzuela¹

1885–90; < Spanish, after La Zarzuela, palace near Madrid where first performance took place (1629)

Word History and Origins

Origin of zarzuela¹

from Spanish, from La Zarzuela, name of the palace near Madrid where such vaudeville was first performed (1629)

Example Sentences

The habanera’s strict dotted 3 + 1 pattern was handed down to the Spanish zarzuela, the Cuban danzon, the Brazilian maxixe and the Argentinian and Uruguayan tango.

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Mr. Capasso said it would be part of a new series, Ópera en Español, that will aim to engage New York’s Spanish-speaking audience by offering zarzuelas and other operas in Spanish in future seasons.

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One zarzuela represents a rheumatic old aficionado, or devotee of the sport, trying, with ludicrous results, to screw his courage to the point of facing the bull.

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The young man, aged fifteen months, gave them, without being conscious of it, more enjoyment than all the tenors of the opera and the zarzuela combined.

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The Spanish zarzuela appears to have been the forerunner and origin of all musical farce and "opera comique," only naturalised in our country during the present generation.

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