Representación y representabilidad en los villancicos paralitúrgicos de las Descalzas Reales

Resumen

The paraliturgical 'villancico' was performed in Spanish churches and convents during the seventeenth century in order to bring a larger audience to the religious services. With this purpose in mind the 'villancico' drew some of its inspiration from some of the most popular literary genres of the time, in particular the minor theatrical subgenres. This article analyzes to what extent the context in which the 'villancicos' were performed could explain its resemblance to contemporary theatre. The author studies first the 'villancicos' of the Royal Chapel at Madrid, an institution characterized by the presence of the royal family and the strong protocol imposed around them. A comparison is offered between the lyrics of some 'villancicos' from the Royal Chapel and those from another religious institution in Madrid where 'villancicos' were regularly performed: the Monastery of the Descalzas Reales.