Francisco Asenjo Barbieri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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Francisco Asenjo Barbieri
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| Born | 3 August 1823 Madrid, Spain
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| Died | 19 February 1894 (aged 70) Madrid, Spain
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| Seat H of the Real Academia Española | |
| In office 13 March 1892 – 19 February 1894 |
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| Preceded by | Pedro Antonio de Alarcón |
| Succeeded by | Segismundo Moret |
Francisco Asenjo Barbieri (born August 3, 1823 – died February 19, 1894) was a famous Spanish composer. He was best known for writing zarzuelas. A zarzuela is a special type of Spanish opera that mixes singing with spoken dialogue.
Some of his most famous works include El barberillo de Lavapiés, Jugar con fuego, and Pan y toros. He also wrote Don Quijote, Los diamantes de la corona, and El Diablo en el poder.
Life and Music Career
Francisco Asenjo Barbieri was born and died in Madrid, Spain. Many of his operas feature Spanish themes and characters from Madrid. For example, his works often included bullfighters and typical Madrid characters called manolos and manolas.
In his opera Pan y toros, he even included the famous Spanish painter, Francisco Goya. Barbieri's music often told funny stories. These stories used tricks like mistaken identity to entertain the audience.
Themes in Barbieri's Works
His operas often explored themes about love and the relationships between different social classes in Spain during the 1800s. Barbieri's works also had a clear political side.
For example, his zarzuelas El barberillo de Lavapiés and Pan y toros included plots. These plots involved characters trying to change the government or its leaders.
Other Musical Contributions
Besides composing, Barbieri was also a very skilled musician. He helped start La España Musical. This was a group that worked to promote Spanish operetta, which is a lighter type of opera.
He also founded the Society for Orchestral Music. This group helped support and develop orchestral music.
See also
In Spanish: Francisco Asenjo Barbieri para niños
