José Inzenga y Castellanos (Madrid, 3 June 1828 – 28 June 1891) was a Spanish composer of

zarzuelas () 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 ...

and professor at the Conservatory of Madrid and academic of the

Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando The Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando (RABASF; ), located on the Calle de Alcalá in the heart of Madrid, currently functions as a museum and gallery. A public law corporation, it is integrated together with other Spanish royal acad ...

and one of the pioneers of folkloric studies and the modern zarzuela in the second half of the 19th century.

Biography

Inzenga was the son of Italian singing master Ángel Inzenga and Felicia Castellanos. He studied music at the

Madrid Royal Conservatory The Madrid Royal Conservatory ( es, Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid) is a music college in Madrid, Spain. History The Royal Conservatory of Music was founded on July 15, 1830, by royal decree, and was originally located in Mosten ...

. He then traveled to Paris, where he pursued extended training in music, winning two silver medals in harmony and piano playing. He joined the circle of the ''Liceo Artístico y Literario de Madrid,'' founded in 1837, serving on its board of directors and thereby contributing the production of works and organizing jam sessions. The

Revolutions of 1848 The Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Springtime of the Peoples or the Springtime of Nations, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe starting in 1848. It remains the most widespread revolutionary wave in Europea ...

forced him to return to Spain, where he soon began composing

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

s. From that time on his activity increased since he not only composed, but also took part in the musical life of Madrid. He co-founded the ''Gazeta Musical'' in 1855 and the ''Sociedad Artístico Musical de Socorros Mutuos,'' Teatro del Circo, and the creation of

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 ...

References

External links

* Spanish composers Spanish male composers 1828 births 1891 deaths Musicians from Madrid 19th-century composers 19th-century Spanish male musicians {{Spain-composer-stub