El juramento (Spanish for ''The Oath'') is a 3-act

zarzuela () is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular songs, as well as dance. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but some propose it may derive from the name of ...

Joaquín Gaztambide Joaquín Romualdo Gaztambide y Garbayo (Tudela, Navarre, 7 February 1822 – Madrid, 18 March 1870) was one of the most prominent Spanish composers of zarzuela in the mid-nineteenth century. His contribution to the revival of the genre was hi ...

for libretto by

Luis de Olona Luis de Olona y Gaeta (Málaga, 1823 – Barcelona, 1863) was a playwright, theater impresario and librettist of a number of Spanish zarzuelas by the mid of 19th-century Spain. He was a very prolific playwright, writing comedies, Sainete, farces ...

. Its central character (the Marquis) is taken from a French operetta ''La Rose de Peronne'' by

Eugène Scribe Augustin Eugène Scribe (; 24 December 179120 February 1861) was a French dramatist and librettist. He is known for writing "well-made plays" ("pièces bien faites"), a mainstay of popular theatre for over 100 years, and as the librettist of man ...

and

Adolphe Adam Adolphe Charles Adam (; 24 July 1803 – 3 May 1856) was a French composer, teacher and music critic. A prolific composer for the theatre, he is best known today for his ballets ''Giselle'' (1841) and '' Le corsaire'' (1856), his operas ''Le pos ...

(1840), but the new work is entirely original. It was first staged on 20 December 1858 at the

Teatro de la Zarzuela The Teatro de la Zarzuela is a theatre in Madrid, Spain. The theatre is today mainly devoted to zarzuela (the Spanish traditional musical theatre genre), as well as operetta and recitals. History The theatre was designed by architect Jerónimo ...

.This date is printed on the title page of the 1858 libretto edition. It is thought to be among Gaztambide's best compositions and one of the most important scores in the history of zarzuela. The first modern performance took place in 2000 in

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

Teatro de la Zarzuela.

Roles

Musical numbers

;Act I :No. 1. Prelude and introduction. ''¡Ellos son!, ¡ellos son!'' (María, the Count, Sebastián, chorus of countrymen) :No. 2. Chorus ''¡Torpe! Señora, ¡sosegaos!'' (the Baroness, chorus of countrymen) :No. 2 bis. Cavatina. El arroyo, la enramada (the Baroness, chorus of countrymen) :No. 3. María's romance. ''¡Ah! Yo me vi en el mundo'' (María) :No. 3 bis. Marquis's romance. ''Cual brilla el sol'' (the Marquis, Peralta) :No. 3 ter. Trio . ''Guarde Dios à la niña hermosa'' (María, the Marquis, Peralta) :No. 4. Finale I ''Su rara hermosura'' (María, the Baroness, the Marquis, the Count, Peralta, Sebastián, chorus of contrymen) ;Act II :No. 5. Introduction and the "Chu, chu, chu" chorus. ''Vedle qué pensativo'' (Sebastián, chorus of countrymen) :No. 6. Scene and cavatina. ''¡Ja!, ¡ja!, ¡ja! ¡Oh, qué Marqués!'' (María, the Count, the Baroness) :No. 7. Romance. ''Gracias, fortuna mía'' (Don Carlos) :No. 8. Duo by the piano. ''Es el desdén acero'' (María, the Marquis) :No. 9. Duo – Finale II. ''¿Qué os sucede?'' (María, Sebastián) ;Act III :No. 10. Introduction and the rouse chorus. ''Soldados de la ronda'' (chorus of soldiers) :No. 11.

Drinking song A drinking song is a song sung while drinking Alcoholic beverage, alcohol. Most drinking songs are Folk music, folk songs or commercium songs, and may be varied from person to person and region to region, in both the lyrics and in the music. ...

and duo of the drunks. ''¡Brindis! ¡A la fortuna!'' (Peralta, Sebastián) :No. 12. Duo. ''Guarde Dios al gentil marido'' (María, the Marquis) :No. 13. Finale. ''¡Ah! Risueña brilló la aurora'' (all soloists, chorus of soldiers)

References

External links

*
Synopsis of ''El juramento''
on zarzuela.net *A synopsis of ''El juramento'' is also available in: *Diego Emilio Fernández Álvarez

(lazarzuela.webcindario.com)
''El juramento'' page
on

site (with a downloadable digital booklet) Spanish-language operas 1858 operas Zarzuelas Operas by Joaquín Gaztambide Libretti by Luis de Olona Operas set in Spain Operas based on works by Eugène Scribe {{DEFAULTSORT:Juramento, El