Del «cingarismo» al swing: Contexto, dramaturgia y semiótica del jazz en el teatro musical de Pablo Sorozábal (1897-1988)

Abstract

Pablo Sorozábal (1897-1988) was one of the most successful and innovative stage composers in the contemporary Spanish tradition of zarzuela and operetta. Moreover, some conspicuous traits of the early jazz of the twentieth century are included in his rich theatrical catalogue. In fact, he had been in direct touch with the new American trends from his young years as a musician in his hometown, Donostia/San Sebastián—a cosmopolitan vacation spot of the Belle Époque. During the 1920s, he studied and worked in Germany, where American influence was particularly noticeable among the young authors of Zeitoper. All this experience would be developed on stage during the following decades, in a witty and personal way. Jazz sounds appear there as a considered and meaningful resource, forming a semiotic isotopy with well defined formal and expressive attributes, consistent with the broader conventions of the time. Thus, a study of this repertoire allows us to understand more about the origins, context and cultural significance of the introduction of jazz in Spain and Europe.