The House of the Bride

Seeing Constellation Theater's innovative production of Lorca's Blood Wedding reminded me of the script's explicit references to the barren landscape of Almeria. The set is minimal, as it should be, to highlight the isolation of the characters and the unforgiving environment they inhabit.

In an exchange in the first act, the groom's mother complains of the distance they had to travel to reach the bride's remote house, "a four hour journey and not a house or a tree." The bride's father laments the dry earth and how he "had to labor over it and shed tears to get anything from it."

Lorca based the play on actual events that occurred in 1928. The dramatic story was widely reported in the national press and journalists described the empty, ochre-colored earth for their readers. In his stage directions, Lorca suggests the the bride's home appears in a "panorama of brownish plains, everything hardened like a landscape of ceramic."     

Lorca did make some changes to the location, however. The bride's home is a cave, rather than the expansive Cortijo del Fraile she actually lived in. And the final chase scene and confrontation takes place in a dense forest. These alterations enhance the symbolic impact of the settings. However, at the time the play was premiered, some critics found the overt symbolism to be a weakness.

Constellation Theater's production ends March 4, so go see for yourself! My photographs of the Cortijo Del Fraile are up in the entryway and hopefully help viewers to imagine the setting of the action.

Preserving the Cortijo del Fraile

Federico Garcia Lorca's drama Blood Wedding was inpsired by a true story that appeared in a Spanish newspaper in 1928. A bride-to-be ran off with another man (her cousin) the night before the wedding, but the groom's brother discovered the couple and shot and killed the lover. The bride-to-be lived on a farm known as El Fraile. Over 75 years later, the ruins of the farm remain in the remote countryside of Nijar in Almeria, accessible only by a poorly marked, unpaved road. The site also appeared in Sergio Leone's 1966 film The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, starring Clint Eastwood.

However, the site has been rapidly deteriorating following years of neglect and increasing vandalism. The bildings lie on private property and the government has had limited authority, or interest, to act to protect the site. In recent months, demonstrators have gathered at the Cortijo to call for action. Finally, last week the regional government, the Junta de Andalucia, published an order classifying the site as Bien de Interes Cultural (BIC), a protected site of cultural importance. Now plans are in the works to resore the buildings and turn the cortijo into a cultural and historial center.

Save the Cortijo del Fraile

Federico Garcia Lorca's Bodas de Sangre was inspired by a true story that appeared in a Spanish newspaper in 1928. A bride-to-be ran off with another man (her cousin) the night before the wedding, but the groom's brother discovered the couple and shot and killed the lover. The bride-to-be lived on a farm called El Fraile. Over 75 years later, the ruins of the farm remain in the remote countryside of Nijar in Almeria, accessible only by a poorly marked, unpaved road.

Unfortunately, after years of neglect, the site is now rapidly deteriorating. This state of decay makes for compelling images, but the extent of damage now threatens the future of the buildings on the site. While the structures are recognized as a historic landmark, they reside on private property and so far no action has been taken to preserve or restore them. However, there have been renewed calls for action.

Some fellow photographers have taken up the cause. While I'm not a big fan of HDR images, two images here and here are effective at supporting the case for urgent intervention. Another Flickr account devoted to shaming those who trash the Cabo de Gata natural park has another striking image. And, of course, there is now a Facebook group devoted to saving the Cortijo del Fraile.

Interview in La Voz de Almeria

Spanish journalist Federico Utrera conducted this interview with me by email about my photography and relation to Spain. Utrera is based in Madrid but is originally from Almeria. I first met him last year when he was writing about my uncle Federico Castellon. I was flattered that he took the time to review my portfolio in detail and propose some thoughtful questions. The article appeared in the La Voz de Almeria print edition just before the holidays. The portrait photo is by Stirling Elmendorf. Click on the image below to see the full size article.

Cortijo Del Fraile

Federico Garcia Lorca's Blood Wedding was inspired by a true story that appeared in a Spanish newspaper in 1928. A bride-to-be ran off with another man (her cousin) the night before the wedding, but the groom's brother discovered the couple and shot and killed the lover. The bride-to-be lived on a farm called El Fraile. Over 75 years later, the ruins of the farm remain in the remote countryside of Nijar in Almeria, accessible only by a poorly marked, unpaved road. These images show part of the chapel building on the property.