Zarzuela is the
Spanish lyrical
opera. The classic pieces of zarzuela are a combination of sophisticated musical ensembles, including speaking and singing, popular songs, and lowlife
comedy characters. Some can compare more to traditional
Italian opera in their length and style. Others are short with less dignified
plots and
characters. There are also many types of Zarzuelas in between the two with a variety of musical flavors.
Placido Domingo's parents were zarzuela singers, part of what inspired him to sing.
See Musical theater, Operetta
Zarzuela is also the name of a Spanish dish made of diverse sorts of seafood and fish, named after the minor opera genre above, due to the mixture of characters.