, never before staged in the UK, will hopefully help to reawaken the creative flow. It is a highly distinctive piece, based on the story of the death of the Spanish writer Federico García Lorca at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, told through the memories of the actress Margarita Xirgu who acted in Lorca's play about Mariana Pineda (another political martyr) and was Lorca's muse. It is no conventional opera but rather a series of vivid tableaux, almost a dramatic song-cycle in shape and form, with constant references to the purest form of flamenco in the cante jondo of Andalusia. Golijov's music is underpinned by the gritty, physical spirit of the dance, and it was a shrewd move on the part of Scottish Opera and Opera Ventures (who collaborated on this new staging) to entrust the direction to a choreographer. Deborah Colker has had her own fine dance company for 30 years but has never directed an opera. She demonstrates here an immediate feeling for the earthy expressiveness of Golijov's world, her well-marshalled singers and dancers interacting with both freedom and intense discipline. Within a circular transparent hanging curtain that can be swept aside or used for slogan projections (by Tal Rosner), just a few rearranged benches in Jon Bausor's resourceful designs can stand for the barricades of war, and for the bar where imposing flamenco singer Alfredo Tejada is heard. As Margarita (a part conceived for Dawn Upshaw), L){kind=link}
This innovative revival of Osvaldo Golijov’s 2003 music-drama astutely enlists the considerable talents of choreographer Deborah Colker
Twenty years ago, the Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov was the hit of the moment in the classical contemporary music world. He had created a huge multi-cultural Passion According to St Mark, and his unique blend of deep, folk-inspired, uplifting, country-crossing music seemed to hit the moment. Then it stalled. Golijov wrote all too little in the years that followed, and it is only recently that he has restarted with some small-scale work.
This innovative revival of his 2003 music-drama Ainadamar (Arabic for “fountain of tears”), never before staged in the UK, will hopefully help to reawaken the creative flow. It is a highly distinctive piece, based on the story of the death of the Spanish writer Federico García Lorca at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, told through the memories of the actress Margarita Xirgu who acted in Lorca’s play about Mariana Pineda (another political martyr) and was Lorca’s muse.
It is no conventional opera but rather a series of vivid tableaux, almost a dramatic song-cycle in shape and form, with constant references to the purest form of flamenco in the cante jondo of Andalusia. Golijov’s music is underpinned by the gritty, physical spirit of the dance, and it was a shrewd move on the part of Scottish Opera and Opera Ventures (who collaborated on this new staging) to entrust the direction to a choreographer. Deborah Colker has had her own fine dance company for 30 years but has never directed an opera. She demonstrates here an immediate feeling for the earthy expressiveness of Golijov’s world, her well-marshalled singers and dancers interacting with both freedom and intense discipline.
Within a circular transparent hanging curtain that can be swept aside or used for slogan projections (by Tal Rosner), just a few rearranged benches in Jon Bausor’s resourceful designs can stand for the barricades of war, and for the bar where imposing flamenco singer Alfredo Tejada is heard. As Margarita (a part conceived for Dawn Upshaw), Lauren Fagan is superbly forceful in a part that reaches high both in range and in passion. Julieth Lozano as her student Nuria is supportive and strong: the pair arguably overshadow Samantha Hankey as Federico himself, her eloquent voice just short of the necessary resonance to cut through Golijov’s textures.