18-21 June 2003. Zarzuela conducted by Miguel Roa, with Elena De La Merced, Jos Bros, Placido Domingo, Mariua Jos Montiel. A zarzuela is a Spanish opera, conceived in the mid-1600s and composed of a mixture of music and prose. Originally targeted at courtiers and aristocrats before reaching out to a wider audience, it underwent a renaissance in the 1800s, and it was in this period that it enjoyed its greatest success. Generally performed only in Spain, this Milanese production is important because it introduces a genre which is practically unknown in Italy. It draws on the charisma of Placido Domingo, who, given his Spanish roots, is undoubtedly in his natural environment. Luisa Fernanda is a modern zarzuela: it was first performed in 1932 and enjoyed instant success (Paolo Di Nicola).