Theatrical reform and the emergence of mass culture in Spain

Abstract

The early twentieth century in Spain saw a series of initiatives designed to reform the institutions of the theatre (and musical theatre in particular), prompted by the desire to regenerate politics and society following defeat in the Spanish-American War. This desire for regeneration had an unintended effect: while regeneration was supposed to make Spanish institutions more responsive to the populace, theatre shifted away from its traditional position in Spanish popular culture and became an elite institution; this in turn made room for new forms of popular culture such as cinema, cabaret and sporting events to flourish. Government-mandated reforms tended to alienate popular audiences by not taking their demands into account. Formalized copyright control only protected elite, conservatory-trained theatrical composers and not artists working in popular entertainment. Ironically, these reforms – designed to save Spanish theatre from a decline into frivolity and meaninglessness – ended up marginalizing the theatre and legitimizing popular entertainment.

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