author
Luis Mariano de Larra
1830–1901
A prolific Spanish dramatist and novelist, he is best remembered for bringing wit and theatrical flair to the zarzuela stage. His most famous libretto, El barberillo de Lavapiés, helped secure his place in 19th-century Spanish literary and musical life.
1 Audiobook
Si yo fuera rico! Novela original
by Luis Mariano de Larra
About the author
Born in Madrid in 1830, he was the eldest son of the celebrated writer and journalist Mariano José de Larra. He built his own career in letters as a dramatist, novelist, journalist, and civil servant, working across both literary and public life in 19th-century Spain.
Much of his writing was for the theater. He wrote numerous comedies and became especially known as a librettist for zarzuelas, the Spanish lyric theater tradition. Among his best-known works is El barberillo de Lavapiés (1874), created with composer Francisco Asenjo Barbieri, a piece that remains closely associated with his name.
He died in Madrid in 1901. Though often introduced through his famous father, his own body of work shows a writer deeply involved in the popular stage of his time, with a lasting connection to Spanish drama and music.