Llanto Por Ignacio Sánchez Mejías

Maurice Ohana composed this dramatic cantata as a profound musical response to Federico García Lorca’s famous 1935 elegy, which mourns the death of the bullfighter Ignacio Sánchez Mejías. Ohana, known for his unique integration of Mediterranean, Spanish, and African influences, sought to mirror the raw intensity and ritualistic grief embedded in Lorca’s original poetic verses, creating a work that functions as both a lament and a celebration of human mortality.

This 2003 recording, released under the Actes Sud label, features the vocal ensemble Musicatreize directed by Roland Hayrabedian. The production was widely praised by music critics for its technical precision and emotional gravity, serving as a definitive interpretation of Ohana’s avant-garde approach to vocal polyphony. The release is recognized as a vital document in modern classical music, successfully bridging the gap between 20th-century experimental composition and the deep-rooted cultural resonance of Andalusian poetry.