ZARZUELA and HISPANIC MUSIC LINKS AND RESOURCES
The preeminent link for zarzuela is Christopher Webber's, at
http://www.zarzuela.net/index.htm
Mr. Webber is a very serious student of the genre and has put together a beautiful website, where you can find numerous other links.
He has also published (with Unión Musical Ediciones S.L.http://www.musicsales.com four books (SATB) of zarzuela arias (romanzas) Each book has about a dozen arias, with translations and IPA's plus some background. The edition is not perfect (many annoying note and word mistakes), but is a very useful introduction to the genre. The books have been available in major music stores in the U.S.
Mr. Webber has written "The Zarzuela Companion" published by Scarecrow Press, with a foreword by Plácido Domingo. It contains useful historical information, biograpies of the most important composers of the genre and synopses of the best known works. Highly recommended.
ZARZUELA MUSIC SCORES AND LIBRETTI
Zarzuela scores have been historically difficult to find. Spanish publishers have improved this situation considerably in the last few years. The Instituto Complutense de Ciencias Musicales http://iccmu.sgae.es/ has produced revised, computerized scores of many major zarzuelas, which are also used by S.G.A.E. for their rental operation (not many years ago, a conductor could not get an orchestral score for zarzuelas!) The vocal scores are very good, handsomely produced, computer-generated, and the dialogue is interspersed in between musical numbers (a great idea). I have not seen these in the U.S., but you can get them in Spain in the major stores. At last count I saw about 40 titles in their catalog. If anybody knows where to get them in the U.S., please let me know!
If you see old original scores anywhere, (or libretti, even more difficult to get) buy them! If you have them for sale, send me a list!
SOME MUSIC STORES
Unión Musical Española (UME) Carrera de San Jerónimo, 26, Madrid, Spain (341) 429 3877 (341) 429 4877.
Casa Musical Audenis: Valencia 316. Barcelona-9, Spain. (343) 207 2758. Retail music store.
Casa Beethoven: Rambla de Sant Josep, 97; 08002, Barcelona, Spain. Tel & fax (343) 301 4826. Retail music store.
I. Llobet y Cía. S.C.: Rambla de Canaletas, 129. 08002, Barcelona, Spain. 011 343 317 6338
Respaldiza, Casa Musical: Arenal, 14 (esquina a Plaza de Celenque, 1) 28013 Madrid, Spain 011 3491 532 85885 fax 91 532 8146
SEEMSA: Alcalá, 70, 28009 Madrid, Spain (3491) 577 0751-2 (3491) 575 7645 OR Vía Layetana 23, 1-D 08003 Barcelona, Spain. 319 7958 fax 310 1844
Real Musical, (I don't have the address yet, but it's two blocks from the Teatro de la Zarzuela, near the Palacio Real
Ediciones Mexicanas de Música: Avenida Juárez 18-206. Colonia Centro 06050 MEXICO DF (525) 521 5855. Publishers of Mexican music.
Glendower Jones, Classical Music Reprints; a good source for rare vocal music; 1 800 298 7474.
ZARZUELA RENTALS (ORCHESTRA)
Most zarzuela rentals are handled by S.G.A.E (Sociedad General de Autores y Editores -General Society of Authors and Publishers), the Spanish equivalent of ASCAP and BMI together. SGAE has offices in NYC: 30 Cooper Sq. 4th. floor New York NY 10003 tel (212)752 7230 fax (212)754 4378.
SGAE http://www.sgae.org will provide complete sets (conductor scores -in most cases-, parts and vocal scores-libretti) for rental. You may want to inquire whether they are using the new Complutense versions or the old ones. Also, you may want to make arrangements far in advance and specify very clearly what you materials you need).
Zarzuela recordings have been difficult to get also. Auvidis/Valois put out a series a few years ago. I have been hearing that they are not easy to get in the stores any more. They included Luisa Fernanda, Doña Francisquita, Bohemios, La Verbena de la Paloma, La Tabernera del Puerto, etc. with several titles featuring Mr. Domingo and other distinguished zarzuela singers. The quality of the recordings ranged from good to excellent (see my New York Times article, "An Operatic Armada...")
Once again, there are numerous titles available in Spain, in the major stores (Corte Inglés, etc.). Some feature artists like Domingo, Kraus, Berganza, etc.
AN INTERESTING BOOK ABOUT ZARZUELA IN THE U.S.
Arizona based musicologist Janet L. Sturman has published "Zarzuela -Spanish Operetta, American Stage", a very interesting account of the history and incidence of zarzuela in America, published by the University of Illinois Press. Recommended reading. The book is available at amazon.com, etc.
