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Loa

Dramatic Genres

A loa, meaning praise, is a short theatrical piece written as a prologue to introduce plays of the Spanish Golden Age, or Siglo de Oro, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Loas used laudatory language to open performances for audiences in both Spain and Spanish America.

Facts
Place of Origin
Spain 1
Notable Example
Propaladia (1517) by Bartolome de Torres Naharro, an early precursor with a prologue spoken by a comic shepherd 1
Defining Trait
Prologue using praise and laudatory language for people and places, often the royal court 1
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Loa (Spanish play), Wikipedia
  • Lead section, first sentence
    a short theatrical piece, a prologue, written to introduce plays of the Spanish Golden Age.
  • Early history section
    what is called an introito as a prologue spoken by a comic shepherd.
  • Characteristics section
    praise and laudatory language for various people and places, often the royal court.
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