Jugar con fuego

Jugar con fuego (Playing with fire) is a zarzuela in three acts by Francisco Asenjo Barbieri. The libretto, in Spanish, is by Ventura de la Vega. The first performance took place at the Teatro del Circo in Madrid on 6 October 1851, and it became one of the most well-known zarzuelas. The title refers to how dangerous it is to play with love.

This work is a landmark in the history of Spanish opera, being the first notable example of a zarzuela in three acts, close to the model of the opéra comique, although Barbieri is still writing influenced by Italian opera composers of the time.

The plot of the play by Ventura de la Vega is based on Madame d'Egmont, ou Sont-elles deux? by Jacques-François Ancelot and Alexis Decombereusse, which was first performed on 25 April 1833 at the Théâtre des Variétés in Paris.

The 1954 Novoson recording of Jugar con fuego conducted by Ataúlfo Argenta, with Pilar Lorengar, Manuel Ausensi, Carlos Munguia and Antonio Campo, was reissued on CD in 1990.

The Act 3 romanza "Un tiempo fue" for the Duchess, repentant and in finally truly in love, is the most famous number of the score.

During the reign of Philip V of Spain

Among the throng of the verbenera at mid-summer night of San Juan on the banks of the Manzanares the nobility mingle with pedlars and artisans. The crowd recognises the Duchess of Medina, a young widow who has disguised herself as a poor house-maid for an assignation with her admirer, but pursued by the Marqués of Caravaca, a boastful and lecherous man. He is secretly trying to discover who is following her and importunes her putting paid to her adventure, until her father also appears, which allows her to disappear into the crowd again. Félix and Antonio, poverty-stricken hidalgos enter, the former hoping for a meeting with a lady who calls herself Leonor; eventually she emerges from the throng and they exchange conversation in a duo. While Félix goes to find a carriage for his young lady the Marqués interferes with several of his friends, to which the Duke responds, defending her honour. While Félix, having helped 'Leonor' flee, is bemused by the events, the crowd mock the aristocrats.

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Wikipedia