Ainadamar

A dazzling combination of music and movement, Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar tells the story of Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca through the memories of his friend and muse, Catalan actress Margarita Xirgu. Ainadamar—Arabic for “fountain of tears,” a fountain in the hills north of Granada where Lorca was ultimately executed by fascist forces—takes the form of a Passion play, reflecting the mythic status of Lorca and his enduring influence in Spanish culture. Touching upon themes of tradition, inheritance, love, and freedom, the libretto (penned by playwright David Henry Hwang and translated into Spanish by Golijov) expertly weaves together the lives of 19th-century Spanish political heroine Mariana Pineda; Lorca, whose 1927 play took her as its subject; and Xirgu, who portrayed her on stage. A haunting symmetry thus unites Pineda and Lorca, both executed by repressive political regimes and honored by Xirgu’s devotion to their legacies in life and death.

Golijov’s groundbreaking score is a rich sonic tapestry combining conventional operatic singing and orchestral music with Spanish flamenco, amplified instruments, prerecorded sounds, and electronic sampling, in addition to extended improvisational sections. This original soundscape enables the composer to bring together, and make distinctions among, the series of flashbacks that constitute the opera’s plot. In so doing, Golijov constructs a musical world that straddles the boundaries of convention and innovation, bringing new genres and stories to the operatic stage. The lives and sacrifices of his subjects—Pineda, Xirgu, and Lorca—ultimately become intertwined as each passes the torch of political resistance to the next generation.

This guide is intended to help your students understand the historical context out of which Ainadamar emerges, focusing on the Spanish Civil War of the 20th century and the rich culture of Spanish flamenco. The information on the following pages is designed to provide context, deepen background knowledge, and enrich the overall experience of attending a final dress rehearsal at the Metropolitan Opera.