The cultural calendar at the Paranimf of the University of Alicante closes 2023 with a captivating recital that blends poetry, music, and drama. A commemorative ceremony marks the 125th anniversary of Lorca’s birth, highlighting the life and work of the Granada poet. The event is a shared stage experience featuring readings of Lorca’s most beloved poems and dramatic readings from his plays. The program runs with a modest admission of five euros and is expected to attract a diverse audience, including notable participants such as Juan Antonio Olmedo, Óscar Santacreu, Esther Abellán, and María Matas.
The recital is scheduled for Wednesday, December 13, at 19:00, in the UA Auditorium. It traces Lorca’s artistic trajectory through a sequence of readings that bring to life essential poems and dramatic passages. The performance includes dramatic extracts such as Suicide; Baladilla of Three Rivers; Romance of the Moon, Moon; Sleepwalking Romance; The Romance of Dark Sadness; The Liar Woman’s Casida; Hunting Black Pigeons; Sonnet of Sweet Complaint; plus a segment from Bernarda Alba’s House. The piece also features selections from the poet’s prose and plays, weaving together moments of reflection and theatrical intensity.
The reading is accompanied by live guitar and piano arrangements, enriching the experience with musical interludes. Classical works will be interpreted in harmony with the readings, including Asturias by Isaac Albéniz; Miller’s Dance by Manuel de Falla; Nostalgia by Ramón Riera; Arab Trance by Francisco Tárrega; Memories of the Alhambra by Francisco Tárrega; and a fragment labeled anonymous Romance. The staging blends visuals about Lorca with his writings to create a cohesive, immersive narrative for the audience.
Participants
Show Lorca: A genius with an elf. A commemorative ceremony for the 125th anniversary of Lorca’s birthday focuses on presenting the life and impact of the artist. The lineup includes the following performers: Juan Antonio Olmedo, Óscar Santacreu, Esther Abellán, and María Matas.
Juan Antonio Olmedo is a Spanish language and literature professor for middle and high school, a narrator, and a rhapsode who specializes in recitals combined with synchronized music. He has performed in numerous recitals and concerts with ensembles such as the La Paz Music Society and the Municipal Symphony Orchestra Alicante, the Alicante Baroque Orchestra, and the OSCE. He has collaborated with artists including Concha López Marcos and Carles Magraner, and has performed across major venues including ADDA, UA, Gran Teatre d’Elx, Castillo de Santa Bárbara, and Almagro.
Óscar Santacreu has studied improvisation with renowned teachers and holds a guitar diploma with honors. He earned a Doctorate in Sociology and has served as professor and director of multiple musical initiatives, including the Virgen de Loreto de Mutxamel Pulse and Plectrum Orchestra. He has taught guitar at various music schools and is a member of the Óscar Esplá chamber choir from Mutxamel. Santacreu has collaborated with ensembles such as Dolci Sospiri, Sense Mesura Ensemble, Cor de Cambra la Sablonara, and vocal groups including Amalthea from Valencia and the Mailers group, among others.
Esther Abellán is a longtime poet and actor who founded the production companies El mundo de Calíope and El fuego verde. She contributes to the poetry magazine LoBlanc and directs the poetry cycle feeding the rain at the Juan Gil-Albert Alicante Cultural Institute, reinforcing the event’s literary dimension with active curatorial involvement.
María Matas holds a degree in piano and a qualification as a music educator, along with a degree in Musicology. She has pursued ongoing studies in specialized programs and has given numerous performances and recitals throughout Alicante and the surrounding region as a pianist and educator.