Like Arthur Sullivan, Tomás Bretón (1850-1923) was a cultured musician who composed symphonic and operatic works but found his greatest success with lighter fare. Specifically he did so with this classic example of the one-act genero chico that so captured the enthusiasm of Spain during the 1890s. The work itself captures superbly the Spanish taste for nocturnal revelry, especially at festival time, as here on the evening of the Festival of the Dove (August 14).

Though Plácido Domingo and María Bayo get top billing here, the central character of the piece is the randy old chemist Don Hilarión, a role written for a typical zarzuela ‘sort-of-singing’ actor. Hilarión arouses the jealousy of the young typesetter Julián (Domingo) by going to the festival with the latter’s beloved (Bayo) and her sister Casta – one on each arm. With a good complement of supporting comic characters, the piece offers endless fun and gorgeous Spanish dance melodies, most notably the popular habañera concertante ‘¿Dónde vas con mantón de Manila?’ In the solo that forms his main contribution Domingo shows not only his superb technique but also his love of the zarzuela genre. Bayo and Silvia Tro as the two sisters sing with sweetness and character, and Milagros Martín makes a splendid flamenco singer, rightly appreciated by the on-stage audience here.

The Spanish atmosphere is maintained also in the English notes, which bizarrely translate ‘reducciones para canto y piano’ as ‘cuts for voice and piano’ instead of ‘piano vocal score’. The work has been much recorded in Spain; but this is much the most modern version, uses a cleaned-up score (albeit with dialogue omitted), and is the obvious one through which to discover this delicious piece.