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Few births have been better timed than that of Pablo Sorozábal Serrano, whose death in the family’s Madrid home has been announced. The only son of the Basque-Madrileño composer Pablo Sorozábal and his wife, the popular mezzo-soprano tiple Enriqueta Serrano, Pablo hijo came onto the world-stage the same evening as La del manojo de rosas enjoyed its triumphant premiere at the nearby Teatro Fuencarral. Naturally, his father dedicated the score to his infant son.
Like many sons of famous fathers, Pablo hijo was talented
enough to consider making his living from music, but not fortunate enough to
emerge fully from that father’s shadow. He will be remembered, though, as
the associate composer of Sorozábal’s last zarzuela Las de
Caín; a role he also fulfilled with his father’s adaptation
of Barbieri’s Pan y toros. After the older composer’s
death in 1988 his son became increasingly reclusive; more recently a serious
heart condition limited his active participation in public life
further.
With his passing another link with the great days of the
romantic zarzuela is broken.
Pablo Sorozábal Serrano (right), with his father
and soprano
Lola Rodriguez Aragon
CW, 10/IX/2007
La del manojo de rosas