Presencia e influencia española en el Teatro Solís de Montevideo (1856-1930): zarzuelas, sainetes, cupleteras y tangos

Abstract

This article is the first to present the results of research into the Spanish presence at the Teatro Solís de Montevideo (Uruguay) during the period 1856-1930, from its foundation until the centenary of the country’s constitution. The principal documentary sources are the Collection of Programs and Collection of Photographs pertaining to the Theatres’s Archive, together with the press of the period.The article focuses on Spanish music theatre; reviews performances and the reception of the most important Spanish companies, from the pioneering Matilde Duclós to those run by López Silva, Carreras, Romo and Viñas.The 1910s have been chosen for a more detailed analysis of the presence of zarzuela and its influence on the Creole género chico. Information about the presence of famous female performers of Spanish popular song in Uruguay, such as “La Goya” and Raquel Meller, is also provided, as well as the activities of the communities of Spanish immigrants on the stage of the Teatro Mayor de Uruguay.