Every year, thousands of visitors flock to Madrid to discover its rich culture and history, visiting museums, touring the city and monuments, savouring its gastronomy, and attending its live shows. As an event planner in Madrid, we constantly come up with new ideas to create unique and unforgettable experiences for our clients. Our “Zarzuela Route” is a fine example of the unique activities that we create, and one of our most solicited productions by DMC in Madrid. We created an interactive visit of Madrid that takes our participants around its most prestigious sites and monuments all the while discovering one of Spain’s most famous musical genres: the Zarzuela. Read on to find out why it is so popular amongst DMC in Madrid!
An introduction to Madrid’s famous Zarzuela
The Zarzuela is a dramatic musical genre originating from Spain not dissimilar to opera but that combines sung scenes and spoken scenes, complete with operatic music, popular songs, and dance. The musical genre first appeared in the courts of Madrid in the 17th century in the form of what is now called Baroque Zarzuela. It then found a new Romantic form in the 19th century during what is known as the Golden Age of the Zarzuela. Some of the most famous composers of the genre include Pedro Calderón de la Barca and Juan de Hidalgo, Boccherini, Barbieri, Bretón, Chapí, and many more. Take a look at this recorded performance of the famous “La Verbena de la Paloma” for an example:
Outline of the activity
In this event, we travel back in time in Madrid to discover the birth place of the famous musical genre that is the Zarzuela. Throughout the day, participants are guided through some of the most historical monuments and neighbourhoods of Madrid, discovering the Gran Vía, the Verbena de La Paloma, the Revoltosa o Agua, Azucarillos, Aguardiente, and more. While you are making your way from one monument or historical location to the next, you will come across some of our actors incarnating typical characters from Madrid and from the world of the Zarzuela. Expect to meet such characters as the Chulapa (pictured below) for example.
You will also have the chance to watch our professionals performing a scene from the famous zarzuela opus Doña Francisquita, reliving the great days of the Zarzuela to the sound of its most famous “organillo” (organ). An interactive visit of the city with spontaneous performances throughout the day! Inside the monuments and buildings, our qualified guides take over from the performers and explain you the history of the sites.
Why DMC in Madrid love our Zarzuela Route
There is so much to love about our Zarzuela Route! Here are some of the main reasons DMC in Madrid love our activity:
- discover the city of Madrid, its monuments, and its history in a unique manner, all centred around the theme of the famous Zarzuela
- a cultural route combining a guided tour of the city, live performances, and guided tours of museums and historical institutions
- a delightfully entertaining activity flowing with creativity
- 100% customisable to match your or your clients’ demands, budget, and timetable
- 100% our own production: you won’t find this activity anywhere else!
Experience it for yourself!
If you are a DMC in Madrid or are planning to travel to the city, try our Zarzuela Route out for yourself! Our team of professional events planners in Spain will know exactly how to make you live an unforgettable experience in Madrid. Contact us to plan your travel and events in Madrid or in the rest of Spain. Looking for more ideas? Why no read about our most solicited event by DMC in Malaga, or read our list of 10 ideas for team building in Spain, or even our introduction to incentives in Spain.
