Bretón was orphaned at the age of two, and after some early music education he began to earn his living by playing in orchestras. He attended the Madrid Conservatory and later became a teacher and director there. Bretón is best known for his zarzuelas, or Spanish lyric dramas. His best-known work of this type is his La Verbena de la Paloma (1893). At the first annual Latin Grammy Awards in fall 2000, Breton's La Dolores was recognized for Best Classical Album. ~ Lynn Vought, Rovi