full production was suspended during rehearsals in Madrid during 1979. With his death in Madrid on 26 December 1988 the last chapter in the creative history of the romantic zarzuela came to an end. Sorozábal’s theatrical vitality, musical wit and dramatic force are second to none in the history of zarzuela and rival the best of his German and Italian music theatre contemporaries, such as Kurt Weill. References Sources extract from Christopher Webber's biography on zarzuela.net with permission 1897 births 1988 deaths 20th-century classical composers 20th-century conductors (music) 20th-century Spanish composers 20th-century Spanish male musicians Basque classical composers Basque opera composers Male conductors (music) Male opera composers People from San Sebastián Spanish classical composers Spanish conductors (music) Spanish male classical composers Spanish opera composers