La serenata (The Serenade) is a one-act opera by Ruperto Chapí to a libretto by José Estremera [es].

[1][2] The libretto for La serenata was written in verse by José Estremera, a constant collaborator of Chapí, with whom he successfully staged the Música clásica [es] the previous year (1880).

It also couldn't be called a comic opera, because an opéra comique is the French analogue of Spanish zarzuela.

It could be named a lyric comedy (comedia lírica), but this title was used by Verdi for his grandiose Falstaff.

It formed the second part of that night, while the first one consisted of the overture to Chapí's Roger de Flor (1878) and an opera ¡Tierra!

After its failure Chapí rejected his attempts in the opera genre dedicating himself to zarzuelas foe many years.

After Chapí was engaged by the Teatro Eslava [es], he arranged the score for smaller orchestral forces.

The crowd disperses, leaving him alone to tell his story: he went to the sea to find glory and riches, but met only storms and pirates.

Some muffled persons appear and sing a mysterious serenade about a hunter trying in vain to catch an eagl.

Ventura tries to fall asleep on a stone bench, but another company steps in and the situation repeats.

During the farewell dinner Camacho recommends Ventura to his friends as a captain of a ship that will take them away from Cádiz and the corregidor, this night at ten sharp.

Somebody asks Ventura to make a toast, and he sings two couplets about enjoying the delights of life.

But this time it turns a disaster: the corregidor recognizes the contrabandists' signal and orders two alguaciles to bring some soldiers to take Ventura to the prison.