Customer Reviews

Barbieri: El Barberillo De Lavapies

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This is an excellent recording of Barbieri's best-known zarzuela, which dates from 1874. `El Barberillo de Lavapies,' or `The Little Barber of Lavapiés (a district of Madrid)' is set in eighteenth-century Madrid, and its humorous libretto deals lightheartedly with political intrigues in the court of Carlos III. The action follows a comic `common' couple, the barber Lamparilla and the seamstress Paloma, who help a `romantic' aristocratic couple in trouble with royal forces, Don Luis and the Marquesita.

The score, recorded in its entirety but without dialogues, is overflowing with brilliant melodies. In keeping with the conventions of the zarzuela, the songs of the comic couple and the choruses are cast in popular Spanish forms- jotas (as in sample 4), tiranas, caleseras, etc.- while those of the aristocrats are cast as more lyrical romanzas. Barbieri is unquestionably a master of both styles of composition. Listen to any of the samples and prepare to be won over!

Lamparilla and Paloma are played wonderfully by Manuel Lanza and Lola Casariego, and Don Luis and the Marquesita are beautifully rendered by Jose Sempere and Maria Bayo. The orchestra and chorus, under the direction of Víctor Pablo Pérez, give a precise and vigorous performance. All in all this is a first-rate recording of a work worth getting to know!

It is perhaps worth remarking that several record labels have released excellent zarzuela recordings in recent years. These include Arrieta's `Marina', Bretón's `La Verbena de la Paloma,' Granados' `Goyescas,' Sorozábal's `La Tabernera del Puerto,' Moreno Torroba's `Luisa Fernanda,' and Vives' `Bohemios,' all on the Audivis/Valois label, Vives' `Doña Francisquita' on the Sony label, and Penella's `El Gato Montés' on the Deutsche Grammophone label.

In a delightful genre, this is the most delightful zarzuela that I have managed to find so far. I read somewhere that this style of light opera is "Spain's best-kept musical secret". How I wish that there were more of them available. I would gladly buy CD's of any others by this composer, unheard.