50 Facts About Federico García Lorca

1. Federico García Lorca was born on June 5, 1898, in Fuente Vaqueros, a town near Granada, Spain. His parents were Federico García Rodríguez and Vicenta Lorca Romero, and he was the oldest of their four children.

3. Lorca’s family was wealthy and influential in the community, with his father owning a large farm and vineyard.

4. As a child, Lorca was interested in music and literature and began writing poetry at a young age.

5. In 1915, Lorca moved to Madrid to attend university, where he studied law, philosophy, and literature.

6. While in Madrid, Lorca became involved with a group of artists and writers known as the Generation of ’27, which included Salvador Dalí, Luis Buñuel, and Pablo Neruda, among others.

7. Lorca’s first book of poetry, “Impresiones y paisajes,” was published in 1918.

8. In 1919, Lorca moved to Granada, where he continued to write poetry and became involved in the cultural and social life of the city.

9. In 1927, Lorca published his most famous work, “Gypsy Ballads” (“Romancero Gitano”), which became a bestseller in Spain and was translated into several languages.

10. Lorca was Openly Gay, which was a Controversial Topic in Spain at the time, and he faced discrimination and persecution as a result.

11. In 1933, Lorca traveled to New York City, where he wrote the play “Blood Wedding” (“Bodas de Sangre”), which was later adapted into an opera by composer Carlos Surinach.

12. Lorca also wrote several other plays, including “Yerma” and “The House of Bernarda Alba,” which are considered Masterpieces of Spanish theater.

13. Lorca’s writing often dealt with themes related to love, passion, death, and the struggle for individual freedom and expression.

14. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), Lorca was captured and executed by Nationalist forces in Granada, likely due to his political beliefs and sexual orientation.

15. Lorca’s death was a major loss for the literary and cultural community in Spain, and he has since become a symbol of resistance and artistic freedom.

16. Lorca’s body was never found, and the circumstances surrounding his death remain a subject of debate and controversy to this day.

17. Lorca’s work has been translated into numerous languages, including French, German, Italian, and Russian. In addition to his poetry and plays, Lorca was also a talented Musician and Painter.

18. Lorca was heavily influenced by Spanish folklore and traditional music, which he incorporated into his writing and performances.

19. Lorca was interested in a wide range of artistic and cultural forms, including flamenco, bullfighting, and Andalusian folklore.

20. Lorca’s interest in flamenco led him to collaborate with the famous flamenco guitarist, Melchor de Marchena, on several projects.

21. Lorca’s play “The Love of Don Perlimplín and Belisa in the Garden” (“Amor de Don Perlimplín con Belisa en su jardín”) features flamenco music and dance as an integral part of the story.

22. Lorca’s poetry often dealt with themes related to death, including his own premonitions about his impending death.

23. In one of his most famous poems, “Lament for Ignacio Sánchez Mejías” (“Llanto por Ignacio Sánchez Mejías”), Lorca mourns the death of his friend and fellow poet who was killed in a bullfighting accident.

24. Lorca’s sister, Isabel García Lorca, dedicated much of her life to preserving and promoting her brother’s work and legacy.

25. Lorca’s work has been adapted into numerous films, plays, and operas, including a production of “Blood Wedding” by choreographer Antonio Gades.

26. Lorca’s work has also inspired numerous musicians and artists, including Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, and Joan Baez.

27. In 2018, a previously unknown manuscript of Lorca’s play “Once Upon a Time” (“Érase una vez”) was discovered in a library in Madrid.

28. Lorca’s play “The Butterfly’s Evil Spell” (“El maleficio de la mariposa”) is considered one of the first surrealist plays in Spanish literature.

29. Lorca was deeply influenced by the work of Spanish poets Antonio Machado and Juan Ramón Jiménez.

30. Lorca’s poetry often explores the complexities of love and desire, including homoerotic themes that were taboo at the time.

31. Lorca’s play “The House of Bernarda Alba” is set in a small Spanish village and explores the lives of five sisters who are confined to their home by their domineering mother.

32. Lorca’s work often deals with the tension between Tradition and Modernity in Spanish culture, as well as the struggle for individual freedom and expression.Lorca was a prolific writer, with dozens of volumes of poetry, plays, and essays to his name.

33. Lorca was interested in the intersection of Art and Politics and believed that artists had a responsibility to engage with social and political issues.

34. Lorca’s writing often critiques the conservative and repressive social and political structures of Spanish society, including the Catholic Church and the military.

35. Lorca was also interested in the cultural and linguistic diversity of Spain and sought to celebrate the country’s regional differences in his work.

36. Lorca’s work has been compared to that of other Spanish writers, including Miguel de Cervantes, Francisco de Quevedo, and Luis de Góngora.

37. Lorca’s work has been translated into English by several notable translators, including Stephen Spender, Edwin Honig, and W.S. Merwin.

38. Lorca’s poetry has been set to music by numerous composers, including Manuel de Falla, Joaquín Rodrigo, and Leonard Bernstein.

39. Lorca’s play “The Public” (“El público”) explores the idea of theater as a space for the subversion of social norms and expectations. Lorca’s play “Doña Rosita the Spinster” (“Doña Rosita la soltera”) deals with themes of loneliness, aging, and the passage of time.

40. Lorca’s play “The Shoemaker’s Prodigious Wife” (“La zapatera prodigiosa”) explores the tensions and power dynamics in a marriage between an older man and a younger woman.

41. Lorca was friends with several prominent artists and intellectuals of his time, including Salvador Dalí, Luis Buñuel, and Pablo Neruda.

42. Lorca’s work has been banned and censored at various points throughout history, including during the Spanish Civil War and under Franco’s dictatorship.

43. Lorca’s play “Blood Wedding” explores the themes of Love, Desire, and Violence in a rural Spanish community.

44. Lorca’s work has been adapted into several graphic novels, including “The Love of Don Perlimplín and Belisa in the Garden” illustrated by Edward Gorey.

45. Lorca’s play “The House of Bernarda Alba” has been adapted into several operas, including one by composer Judith Weir.

46. Lorca’s play “The Shoemaker’s Prodigious Wife” has been adapted into a film by director Carlos Saura.It has been adapted into a film by director Carlos Saura.

47. Lorca’s death remains a subject of Controversy and Speculation, with some suggesting that he was assassinated for his political beliefs or sexual orientation.

48. The exact location of Lorca’s burial remains Unknown, though there have been efforts to Locate and Recover his remains.

49. Lorca’s work has been Celebrated in numerous exhibitions and retrospectives, including a major exhibition at the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid in 2015.

50. Lorca’s work continues to be studied and celebrated today, with new translations, adaptations, and interpretations appearing regularly.