Lorca's Rural Trilogy

Three of Federico García Lorca''s best-known plays, as heard on BBC Radio 3

Poet and playwright Federico García Lorca is one of the most famous figures in 20th-century Spanish literature. A member of the ''Generation of ''27'' avant-garde movement that included Dalí and Buñuel, he became well known for his lyrical, symbolic works mixing modernism and the folkloric traditions of his native Andalusia. He was executed by Nationalist forces at the start of the Spanish Civil War, aged only 38. Over 80 years later, his poetry is revered worldwide, and the plays in his ''Rural Trilogy'' are widely regarded as masterpieces.

Blood Wedding - Based on the true story of a tragic feud between two families in rural Almeria, Lorca''s atmospheric meditation on fate, war, tradition, passion and repression is adapted for radio by former Poet Laureate Ted Hughes. The winner of the 2008 Sony Award for Best Drama, it stars Barbara Flynn, Carl Prekopp, Sarah Smart and Andrea Riseborough.

Yerma - Infused with poetic imagery and song, this evocative drama tells the tragic tale of a woman''s desperate desire for a child. Her maternal yearnings escalate to the point of obsession, ultimately driving her to commit a terrible crime... Emma Cuniffe stars as Yerma, with a full cast including Conrad Nelson, Declan Wilson, Rebecca Callard and Annette Badland.

The House of Bernarda Alba - Written in 1936 and completed just a few months before his assassination, Lorca''s final play explores the familial passions and tensions that arise following the death of Bernarda Alba''s second husband. After the funeral, the tyrannical matriarch imposes an eight-year period of mourning on her daughters - but the ensuing power struggle will have tragic consequences. Starring Siân Thomas, Brigit Forsyth and Elaine Cassidy.


First published 1932 (Blood Wedding), 1934 (Yerma), 1936 (The House of Bernarda Alba)

Cast and credits
Written by Federico Garcia Lorca
Produced and directed by Pauline Harris

Blood Wedding
Mother of Bridegroom - Barbara Flynn
Bridegroom/Woodcutter - Carl Prekopp
Bride - Sarah Smart
Leonardo - William Ash
Leonardo''s Wife/Girl - Andrea Riseborough
Father of Bride - David Fleeshman
Beggar Woman/Neighbour - Mary Cunningham
Servant/Mother-in-Law - Ellie Haddington
Moon - Claire Benedict
Girl - Liz Carter
Woodcutters - Sam Curtis & Chris Hannon
Little Girl - Daisy Jones
Adapted by Ted Hughes
Music composed by Matthew Wood
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 25 November 2007

Yerma
Yerma - Emma Cunniffe
Juan - Conrad Nelson
Victor - Declan Wilson
Maria - Rebecca Callard
Pagan Old Woman - Annette Badland
Dolores - Claire Benedict
Dolores'' Neighbour - Kate Layden
Washerwomen - Deborah McAndrew & Fionnuala Dorrity
Washerwoman/Girl 1 - Liz Carter
Washerwoman/Female at the Pilgrimage - Helen Longworth
Male at the Pilgrimage - Kevin Harvey
Spanish Voice - Anna Castineiras
Translation by Michael Dewell and Carmen Zapata
Music composed by Tayo Akinbode
Musicians: Tayo Akinbode, Richard Arthurs and Chris Cruiks
Singers: Members of the cast and Leslie Pratt
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 26 Sep 2010

The House of Bernarda Alba
Bernarda Alba - Sian Thomas
La Poncia - Brigit Forsyth
Maria Josefa - Pauline Jefferson
Angustias - Kate Coogan
Magdalena - Victoria Brazier
Martirio - Christine Bottomley
Adela - Elaine Cassidy
Prudencia - Christine Cox
Girl - Daisy Jones
Adapted by Pauline Harris
Translation by Michael Dewell and Carmen Zapata
Musical direction and original music composition by Conrad Nelson
Male chorus singers: Les Pratt, Martin Medina, Nathan Jenkins, Andrew Johnston, David Cane, Peter Edge and George Leeming
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 2 March 2014

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