From La Zarzuela, royal country house where
it was first developed Spanish musical
theatre form combining song, dance, and
speech. It originated as an amusement for
royalty in the 17th century, it found an
early exponent in the playwright Calderon.
Often satirical, it gained renewed popularity
in the 20th century with the works of
Frederico Moreno Torroba (1891-1982). His La
Chulapona, staged at the 1989 Edinburgh
Festival was claimed to be the first zarzuela
to be seen in Britain.