To experience one of the most authentic and quintessentially Madrilenian offerings of the San Isidro Festival, there’s no need to go all the way to the meadow: right in the heart of Lavapiés, you can attend a free zarzuela concert this Friday, May 15, at 12:30 p.m., reviving the most popular spirit of the festivities in 2026 thanks to the soundtrack of what is known as the “género chico.”
The performers who will bring this genre—so closely linked to the history of Madrid—to life for just over an hour will be Carmen Gavilán (light lyric soprano), Abelardo Cárdenas (bass-baritone), Pablo Sánchez (lyric-spinto tenor), and Luis Gustavo Prado (pianist and musical director).
The venue where this concert will take place deserves a special mention: it will be in the Plaza de la Corrala de Lavapiés, a quintessentially traditional setting that will serve as the backdrop for this concert, bringing the flavor of the festivities of yesteryear into the present and reaching both the attending audience and the casual passersby in the area.
Program for the free San Isidro 2026 zarzuela concert
The initiative, organized by the Lavapiés Association of Merchants and Business Owners, features the following program:
- The Gentlemen of Madrid, El barberillo de Lavapiés – F. A. Barbieri.
- Don’t Be a Tyrant, The Barber of Lavapiés – F. A. Barbieri.
- From this peaceful corner of Madrid, Luisa Fernanda – F. M. Torroba.
- Ay mi morena, Luisa Fernanda – F. M. Torroba.
- Romanza del ruiseñor, Doña Francisquita – A. Vives.
- Duet from El gato montés – M. Penella Moreno.
- Caballero de Gracia, La Gran Vía – F. Chueca.
- It Can’t Be, The Port Barmaid – P. Sorozábal.
- Caballero del alto plumero, Luisa Fernanda – F. M. Torroba.
- Who are you?, The Girl with the Bouquet of Roses – P. Sorozábal.
- Where Are You Going with Your Manila Shawl, The Paloma Festival – T. Bretón.
- Duet by Mari Pepa and Felipe, La revoltosa – R. Chapí.
- Pasacalle, Agua, azucarillos y aguardiente – F. Chueca.
In addition, as encores to close the recital, the audience will be treated to “Alma Llanera,” “Churritos ,” and , of course, the chotis “Madrid, Madrid, Madrid.”
