Guillermo Fernández-Shaw
Encyclopedia
Guillermo Fernández-Shaw Iturralde (26 February 1893 - 17 August 1965) was a Spanish
poet and journalist. He is particularly known as a writer of libretti
, primarily for zarzuela
s. With Federico Romero
, he wrote the libretti for two of the best-known zarzuelas of the 20th century, Doña Francisquita
by Amadeo Vives
and Luisa Fernanda
by Federico Moreno Torroba
. His father, Carlos Fernández Shaw
, was also a playwright, poet and journalist who wrote libretti for several zarzuelas and operas, most famously Margarita la tornera
and La vida breve
. Guillermo Fernández-Shaw was born in Cádiz
and initially trained as a lawyer before becoming a journalist. He was the editor of the Spanish newspaper La Epoca from 1911 to 1936, and a contributor to ABC as well as writing poetry for Blanco y Negro. His partnership with Federico Romero began in 1916 with their libretto for Serrano's La canción del olvido. Guillermo Fernández-Shaw died in Madrid
on 17 August 1965 at the age of 72.
In 1941 Guillermo worked with his brother Rafael Fernández Shaw on Torroba's Maria Manuela. Following Guillermo's feud with Federico Romero, which ultimately ended their artistic parternship, the two brothers then became regular collaborators, producing:
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
poet and journalist. He is particularly known as a writer of libretti
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
, primarily for zarzuela
Zarzuela
Zarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular song, as well as dance...
s. With Federico Romero
Federico Romero
Federico Romero Sarachaga was a Spanish poet and essayist. He is particularly known as a writer of libretti, primarily for zarzuelas...
, he wrote the libretti for two of the best-known zarzuelas of the 20th century, Doña Francisquita
Doña Francisquita
Doña Francisquita is a zarzuela in three acts composed by Amadeo Vives to a Spanish libretto by Federico Romero and Guillermo Fernández Shaw and based on Lope de Vega's play La discreta enamorada...
by Amadeo Vives
Amadeo Vives
Amadeu Vives i Roig was a Catalan Spanish musical composer, creator of over a hundred stage works. He is best known for Doña Francisquita, which Christopher Webber has praised for its "easy lyricism, fluent orchestration and colourful evocation of 19th Century Madrid—not to mention its memorable...
and Luisa Fernanda
Luisa Fernanda (zarzuela)
Luisa Fernanda is a romantic zarzuela in three acts by Federico Moreno Torroba. The libretto is written in Spanish by Federico Romero and Guillermo Fernández Shaw. The first performance of Luisa Fernanda took place at Teatro Calderón in Madrid on March 26, 1932...
by Federico Moreno Torroba
Federico Moreno Torroba
Federico Moreno Torroba was a Spanish composer, born in Madrid.-Biography:Moreno Torroba is often associated with the zarzuela, a traditional Spanish musical form. Directing several opera companies, Moreno Torroba helped introduce the zarzuela to international audiences...
. His father, Carlos Fernández Shaw
Carlos Fernández Shaw
Insert non-formatted text hereCarlos Fernández Shaw was a Spanish poet and playwright. He wrote the libretti for the operas Margarita la tornera by Ruperto Chapí and La vida breve by Manuel de Falla.Fernández Shaw was the son of a Spanish father and an English mother...
, was also a playwright, poet and journalist who wrote libretti for several zarzuelas and operas, most famously Margarita la tornera
Margarita la tornera
Margarita la tornera is an opera in three acts composed by Ruperto Chapí to a libretto by Carlos Fernández Shaw, based on a dramatic poem by José Zorrilla...
and La vida breve
La vida breve
La vida breve is an opera in two acts and four scenes by Manuel de Falla to an original Spanish libretto by Carlos Fernández-Shaw...
. Guillermo Fernández-Shaw was born in Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
and initially trained as a lawyer before becoming a journalist. He was the editor of the Spanish newspaper La Epoca from 1911 to 1936, and a contributor to ABC as well as writing poetry for Blanco y Negro. His partnership with Federico Romero began in 1916 with their libretto for Serrano's La canción del olvido. Guillermo Fernández-Shaw died in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
on 17 August 1965 at the age of 72.
Libretti
Guillermo Fernández-Shaw wrote over 70 libretti in collaboration with Federico Romero, including:- 1916. La canción del olvido by José SerranoJosé Serrano (composer)José Serrano Simeón was a Spanish composer of zarzuelas. He was born in Sueca, Valencia, Spain.His most famous works include La dolorosa and La canción del olvido . Serrano’s works tend to be simple popular theater but filled with dramatic emotion...
- 1923. Doña FrancisquitaDoña FrancisquitaDoña Francisquita is a zarzuela in three acts composed by Amadeo Vives to a Spanish libretto by Federico Romero and Guillermo Fernández Shaw and based on Lope de Vega's play La discreta enamorada...
by Amadeu Vives - 1923. El dictador by Rafael Millán Picazo
- 1926. El caserío by Jesús GuridiJesús GuridiJesús Guridi Bidaola was a Spanish Basque composer, and is a key player in the Spanish and Basque music of the twentieth century. His style fits into what we might call the late romantic stamp, directly inherited from Wagner, and with a strong influence from the Basque culture...
- 1927. La villana by Amadeu Vives
- 1928. La meiga by Jesús GuridiJesús GuridiJesús Guridi Bidaola was a Spanish Basque composer, and is a key player in the Spanish and Basque music of the twentieth century. His style fits into what we might call the late romantic stamp, directly inherited from Wagner, and with a strong influence from the Basque culture...
- 1930. La rosa del azafrán by Jacinto GuerreroJacinto GuerreroJacinto Guerrero , was a prolific composer of zarzuelas and revues, as well as some orchestral compositions...
- 1932. Luisa FernandaLuisa FernandaFor the zarzuela by Federico Moreno Torroba, see Luisa Fernanda .Luisa Fernanda Lozano is a Mexican television entertainment news anchor. She worked for Telemundo until the end of 2007...
by Federico Moreno TorrobaFederico Moreno TorrobaFederico Moreno Torroba was a Spanish composer, born in Madrid.-Biography:Moreno Torroba is often associated with the zarzuela, a traditional Spanish musical form. Directing several opera companies, Moreno Torroba helped introduce the zarzuela to international audiences... - 1934. La chulapona by Federico Moreno Torroba
- 1936. La tabernera del puerto by Pablo SorozábalPablo SorozábalPablo Sorozábal Mariezcurrena was a Basque-Spanish composer.Trained in San Sebastián, Madrid and Leipzig; then in Berlin, where he preferred Friedrich Koch as composition teacher to Arnold Schönberg, whose theories he disliked. It was in Germany that he made his conducting debut, and the rostrum...
- 1939. La malquerida by Conrado del CampoConrado del CampoConrado del Campo was a composer, violinist and professor at the Real Conservatorio de Música in Madrid, who was the principal conductor of the Madrid Symphony Orchestra.His was works played in the Theathre Real of Madrid for José María Alvira. His opera Lola la Piconera made its debut at the Gran...
In 1941 Guillermo worked with his brother Rafael Fernández Shaw on Torroba's Maria Manuela. Following Guillermo's feud with Federico Romero, which ultimately ended their artistic parternship, the two brothers then became regular collaborators, producing:
- 1947. Un día de primavera by Jesús Romo
- 1949. La duquesa del Candil by Jesús Leoz
- 1951 La lola se va a los puertos by Ángel Barrios
- 1951. El canastillo de fresas by Jacinto Guerrero (Guerrero's last zarzuela)
- 1953. El gaitero de Gijón by Jesús Romo
Sources
- López de Zuazo Algar, Antonio, Catálogo de periodistas españoles del siglo XX, Universidad Complutense, 1981.
- Manzanares, Pedro Gomez and Webber, Christopher, Federico Romero and Guillermo Fernández Shaw, Zarzuela!, October 2001.