LORCA IN GREECE

Federico Garcia Lorca

Lorca was born in Fuente Vaqueros, a small rural town of Andalucia, close to Granada in 1898 and on August 19^th, 1936 in the evening outside Granada he was executed by members of the local Francoite phalanx who had interrogated and tortured him.

It is perhaps the most beloved and most -set to music foreign writer-poet by Greek composers that as a result his poetry was spread and loved in even wider Greek social layers.

A dedicated song from Lorca and set to music by Gatsos

The following set to music poem of Lorca for Ignacio presages his own end.

Song: Blow and Death

Lyrics: Federico García Lorca & Nikos Gatsos

Music: Stavros Xarchakos / Lament for Ignacio Sanchez Mejias (1969)

Reads: Manos Katrakis – Sings: Kostas Paschalis

This poem was written by Lorca in memory of his friend.

Influence of Lorca on Elytis

Lorca enters the life of Elytis before the occupation - already in 1938, in the article - answer to George Theotokas about surrealism, Elytis mentions Lorca as one of the poets of the “new reality”.

The recognition of Lorca by Elytis comes at a time when the need of poetry in Greece is imperative. Elytis uses Lorca, a writer who had already gained an international reputation, to smoothly introduce and legitimize a '' Mediterranean surrealism ' in Greece.

Through the lyrics of Lorca Elytis discovers sounds and combinations unheard and conspires with N.Gkatsos in reciting verses in Spanish. He also translates Lorca and his translations are going to play a key role in the dissemination and uptake of the poetry of Lorca in Greece.

HADJIDAKIS -LORKA

The Greek musical journey into the poetic world of Lorca started by Manos Hadjidakis, who set to music the 'Bloody Wedding' ', which will be released in the music industry several years later in 1965. The great Greek composer will set to music Lorca once again, with the song ''Beyond the river'' (yield by Nikos Gatsos), which included in the circle ''Τhe great erotic'', with the singer Fleri Dandonaki.

LOIZOS-LORCA

The Great Spanish is linked with the ''input'' in discography of another unforgettable Greek composer Manos Loizos. In 1962 he recorded in the record company ''Philips”, the first song, which is none other than the '' Street Song '' poem of Lorca in Greek yield by Nikos Gatsos.

THEODORAKIS -LORCA

The next meeting of the Spanish poet with the Greek music takes place in 1967, the year that Mikis Theodorakis sets to music the '' Romancero Gitano '' (gypsy ballads) -his last composition before dictatorship. The work had been already translated by Odysseus Elytis, who freely gave seven of his poems to become songs. The songs of “The Wind and The Praised'', ''The Gypsy Nun'', ''The Beggarly Lady'', “Antonio Torres Heredia street of Seville”, “The death of Antonio Torres Heredia'' sung by Arleta.

LEONTIS -LORKA

Of the happiest moments of set to music work of Lorca in our country is the great record of Christos Leontis, “Ah Love” a performance made by Lefteris Papadopoulos. From the most famous and enduring records in our musical history is a meeting spouting from the lyricism, both of the Spanish poet and the Greek composer. The great songs-among them the carefully chosen, ''Fairytale'', ''Unbearable to love you'', “My love is bathed”, ''Day full of sorrow'', ''Ah Love'' etc.- were sealed by the amazing singing of Manolis Mitsias and Tania Tsanaklidou.

THEATER

The house of Bernarda Alba. Translation: Mairi Vidali. Dodoni, 2001.

Donia Rozita, the single or The language of Flowers. Translation: Dimitris Kalokyris. Ypsilon, 1999.

Bloody Wedding. Translation: Panos Kyparissis. Kedros, 1998.

Bloody Wreaths. Translation: George Sevastikoglou. Dodoni, 1998.

Germa. Translation: Alexis Solomos. Dodonis, 1986.

The Wonderful Cobbler. Translation:  Alexis Solomos. Dodoni, 1986.

Marianna Pineda. Translation:  Costas Zaroukas. Grigoris, 1971.