Validity and timeliness of the revival of La Lola se va a los Puertos by Ángel Barrios

Abstract

In the context of the re-release by the Orquesta de la Universidad de Granada (O.U.G.R.) of the zarzuela La Lola se va a los Puertos, this article aims to provide information and arguments to support the timeliness and relevance of this decision (72 years after its premiere). To this end, we will first offer a panoramic sketch of the context surrounding the premiere of the work in the lyrical sphere. Secondly, we will describe the plot and storyline of the original Comedia in an attempt to demonstrate its relevance today. Subsequently, we will provide significant information on the first of the areas proposed by Nattiez and Molino, explaining the creative process from 1932 until its premiere in 1951. The most extensive part of the article will describe the most significant musical features as well as the symbiosis established with the text (the libretto) by means of a semiotic analysis. Subsequently we will attend to the reception of the zarzuela by means of an analysis of the musical-theatrical critics who accredit the success of the work with both the public and the critics in Madrid at the end of 1951. And finally, we will synthesize all the contributions that justify and legitimize the relevance and timeliness of this lyrical revival.