“Ainadamar,” an opera about Spanish writer Federico García Lorca
The tragic tale of Federico García Lorca Pools of sorrow at LA Opera’s “Ainadamar” by Bondo Wyszpolski Osvaldo Golijov’s funereal opera, which leans heavily towards dance-theater, is also something of a memory play, in which an aging actress, Margarita Xirgu (soprano Ana María Martinez), recalls her friend and collaborator, the Spanish poet and dramatist Federico García Lorca (sung by mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack), as she prepares to take the stage. In the operatic repertoire, where most works date back a century or two, “Ainadamar” is quite the youngster. It premiered in 2003, and has a libretto by David Henry Hwang, written in English before being translated into Spanish by the composer. As a child of the 21st century, “Ainadamar” is an intense, scaled-down piece that eschews the overblown or bombastic, and is instead often stylistically bold and exciting. Daniela Mack (in white suit) as Federico García Lorca and Ana María Martínez (in flowered dress) as Margarita Xirgu. Photo: Cory Weaver/LA OperaThe title of the opera is an Arabic name that means fountain of tears, and in fact the tear-shaped pool itself, still to be found near Granada, dates back several centuries. More…
Read this story on easyreadernews.com