Joaquin Romualdo Gaztambide Spanish composer, participant in the zarzuela revival Date of Birth: 07.02.1822 Country: Spain

Biography of Joaquin Romualdo Gaztambide

Joaquin Romualdo Gaztambide y Garbayo, known as Joaquin Romualdo Gaztambide, was a Spanish composer and a key figure in the revival of zarzuela. He was born on February 7, 1822, in Tudela, Navarra, Spain.

Gaztambide began his musical education in his hometown and later studied in Pamplona, where he played the double bass in the theater orchestra alongside Jose Guelbenzu and his assistant Mariano Garcia. In 1842, he attended the Madrid Conservatoire, studying piano with Pedro Albeniz and composition with Ramon Carnicer. While he had enough piano skills to perform solo several times, Gaztambide made a living by playing the double bass in various theaters, including the Teatro de la Cruz. He eventually became the choir master of the theater in 1846, with the support of his close friend, bassist and comedian Francisco de Salas.

In 1849, Gaztambide was appointed as the musical director of the Teatro Español in Madrid. While he found time to compose music for piano and orchestra, including symphonies and ballet music, his main focus was on reviving the native operatic traditions. In the same year, he released his first successful zarzuela, 'La mensajera', in two acts.

In 1851, when the Teatro Real opened, Italian opera disappeared from the Teatro del Circo. Gaztambide, along with writers and composers such as Barbieri, Hernando, Inzenga, developed a plan to stage zarzuelas in the vacant theater. Following the success of 'El amenacer', Gaztambide collaborated with his four colleagues to compose a much more successful project, 'Por seguir a una mujer'. Among his other musical works for the Teatro del Circo were 'El sueño de una noche de verano' in 1852, which was based on Shakespeare's play, 'El valle De Andorra' in 1852, 'Catalina' in 1854, and 'Los comuneros' in 1855. Additionally, Gaztambide contributed to the birth of new productions by Barbieri, Inzenga, and others.

After 1856, he actively participated in the activities of the specially built Teatro de la Zarzuela, where audiences saw 'Los magyares' in 1857, 'El juramento' in 1858, 'Una vieja' in 1860, among many other popular projects. Later in his career, Gaztambide directed the first permanent symphony orchestra in Spain, Sociedad de Conciertos, and embarked on a trip to Cuba in 1868. However, due to a serious uprising, he was forced to move to Mexico, where his health and financial situation rapidly declined. He returned to Spain and died in Madrid on March 18, 1870.

Gaztambide's contribution to the revival of zarzuela was significant, but his works have largely disappeared from the stage in the past century. Despite his taste being closer to Donizetti, Gaztambide incorporated Spanish rhythms and popular songs into his works. It is possible that his career would have been more enduring if it had followed a similar path to his great contemporary, Barbieri.