The Palace of Charles V hosted an exceptional musical event: the premiere of the first unreleased version of 'La vida breve', a score for which Manuel de Falla received an award in 1905 and which had never been performed. The recovery and study of the manuscript, undertaken by Belénish Moreno-Gil and Óscar Escudero, offers a glimpse into the creative process of the composer.
The program for the 75th Granada Festival included pieces by Pietro Mascagni and Richard Wagner to contextualize Falla's work. Before the performance, the Festival director, Paolo Pinamonti, and the director of the Alhambra Patronage, Rodrigo Ruiz-Jiménez, along with Lucas Macías and the musicians of the OCG, observed a minute of silence for the victims of the fire in Almería.
The Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, led by Lucas Macías, demonstrated admirable cohesion and a distinctive sound. The interpretation of Wagner's Prelude and Death of Isolde was notable for its lyricism and expressive power, marking one of the evening's highlights.
The second part focused on the premiere of the 1905 'La vida breve'. The performance highlighted the unique voice of a young Falla, blending Central European influences with deep Spanish tradition. Macías's direction presented the work as a living piece, full of theatrical vigor and orchestral richness.
The vocal cast responded competently. Silvia Tro Santafé excelled as Salud, delivering power and conveying the character's tragedy. Alejandro Roy was a convincing Paco. Also noteworthy were Leticia Rodríguez (Carmela), Joan Martín-Royo (uncle Sarvaor), Andrés Merino (Manuel), and Álvaro Gallegos (voice of the forge). The OCG Choir performed correctly, despite some minor desynchronization during the wedding scene. The flamenco ensemble added authenticity, particularly Luis Mariano's guitar.
The evening confirmed the excellent artistic condition of the Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, whose sound allowed enjoyment of both Wagner's refinement and the fascinating recovery of early Falla. The premiere of this unreleased version of 'La vida breve' is considered a historic milestone, uniting historical interest and interpretive excellence.
