Juan Serqueira de Lima

Juan Serqueira de Lima (1655- Madrid 1726) was a composer, harpist and guitarist of Portuguese origin belonging to the Spanish Baroque. He was one of the most prestigious Spanish composers next to Juan Hidalgo, Juan de Navas or Antonio Literes.

Biography

Little is known of his musical training or his early years of exercise. It is known that in 1676, while working as a musician for a company of actors in Coronada, he had to go to Madrid on the occasion of the sacramental cars that were prepared for Corpus Christi. From this date the composer will remain in Madrid acting as harpist and musical director of the annual sacramental cars, in the comedies of the public theaters and in the dramatic plays courtesans (comedies, zarzuelas, semioperas and operas). Its name appears constantly in the documents related to the theaters at the end of S. XVII. He worked as a composer for several companies among which Miguel Vallejo (1679) and José del Prado (1711) stand out for which he composed mainly praises and dances for theater. He also participated in the revivals of Ni amor is released from love (1679) and La rosa de la rosa (1680), both by Calderón de la Barca with music by Juan Hidalgo. Dates of his career are the year 1682, in which he put music to the sacramental cars of Corpus Christi in Madrid and in 1713 in which he composed music for Santa Cecilia performed by the company of Joseph Garces at the Teatro Príncipe. Although the talent of Serqueira was highly valued by the theatrical officers of Madrid, never received a pension of the court, although yes of the administrators of the theatrical public during its last years. Little is known about his personal life. A short bioraffia published in Genealogy, origin and news of the comedians provides details on their two weddings, the first with the actress Theresa Garay and the second with Maria de Prado, who served in court. He is also known of his love affair with the famous actress and singer Bernarda Manuela de Grifona, from which he had a portrait at home. For praying the rosary in front of his image, he was temporarily imprisoned by the Inquisition in 1691. Work

Among his music that survives are: Main sources for the work of Juan de Lima Serqueira Bibliography

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