Manuel Mauri Esteve

Distinguished Cuban composer born in Spain. He was one of the first composers to write music for bufo theater, and also directed the orchestras of the Lara and Alhambra theaters, for which he also composed several works.

He was born in Valencia, Spain. He studied music with his father.

In 1862 he moved to La Habana where he lived for many years, composing the music for more than three hundred Cuban zarzuelas, most of which premiered at the Alhambra Theater.

He was one of the first composers to write music for Bufo theater, in the companies of Salas, Mellardo, and Joaquín Robreño. He directed the orchestras of the Lara and Alhambra theaters, for which he also composed several works.

From 1900 to 1912, he shared his artistic work at the Alhambra with Rafael Palau and José Marín Varona. That last year he traveled to Mexico, where he directed several zarzuela companies, and premiered his zarzuelas El block femenil, Apuntes a lápiz, Vírgenes a medias, La mansión de los gritos, and El año rojo. In 1889 he directed at the Teatro Payret the Cuban premiere of La Dolores, by Tomás Bretón.

He worked as a librettist with Federico Villoch, Gustavo and Francisco Robreño, Regino López, Mario Sorondo, and Miguel de Luis. In his works are present costumbrismo, characteristic of zarzuela and musical revue, as well as other creole genres, such as bolero, danzón, and others.

Among his most famous titles can be named El barberillo de Jesús María (1877), Del parque a la luna (1887), Intrigas de un secretario (1889), and Tin tan te comiste un pan o El velorio de Pachencho (1901).

Works
Song
Celia, text: Juan J. Vázquez
Ensueño
Junto a tu reja
No olvides mujer que yo te adoro
Tus juramentos
Comic Play
El bombardeo del mulo
El censo o Percances de un enumerador
Por salvar la pelleja

Orchestra
Divertimento musical
Pequeño intermezzo
Preludios orquestales cortos

Revue
Cuba en París
Del parque a la luna
El año pasado
El ferrocarril central
La exposición de París
Los Yankees en la luna
Secretos públicos

Lyric Farce
Nemesio el bravucón

Waltz
Iztaxihuet

Zarzuela
A la fuerza ahorcan
Amor de encargo
Apuntes a lápiz
Caballería chulesca
Casarse con su hermano o Pepita y el soldado
Cuchí
Manía
Del parque a la luna
El año rojo
El block femenil
El pecado original
El rapaz
El velorio de Pachencho
En el cuarto del sargento
¡Envainen sables!
Intriga de un secretario
La cruz de San Fernando
Gran encerrona
Huelga general
La guabinita
La madre de los tomates
La mansión de los gritos
La ninfa aérea
Las cocinas económicas
Los baños de San Rafael
Los centenes
Para dos primas, dos primos
Por un capricho
Regino ciclista
Sangre y oro
Tenorio, Mejía y comendador
Tin Tan, te comiste un pan
Xuanón enamorado
Vírgenes a medias