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"Lament for the Death of a Bullfighter" Roberto Gerhard

Work Title: 
Lament for the Death of a Bullfighter
Composer: 
Roberto Gerhard
Date: 
Sunday, 1 April, 2012
Location: 
Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu, Barcelona (Spain)

Roberto Gerhard's Lament for the Death of a Bullfighter (1959) is the title of a radiophonic poem commissioned by the BBC. It was originally intended for the radio but I came up with the idea of transforming it into a concert piece. It so happens that a tape part of Gerhard's sound composition without the voice was lost or never existed, so I had to concoct a new realisation of this tape using Gerhard's magnetic tape sketches. Moreover, the BBC radiophonic poem is based on the English translation of Lorca's text, whilst the present performance proposes a reading of the original Spanish poem. This video (recorded by Sharon Lomanno) captures the premiere of this adaptation in a passionate performance by the Sevillian singer and actress, Mónica Muñoz.