River and ports. La Lola

Writing the two previous posts on the Guadalquivir some more links popped into my mind and caused me remember there's a play worth presenting to an English-speaking audience that tackles the presence of the river in the lives of Andalusian people in its own way; namely, La Lola se va a los puertos (The Lola is going to ports; 1929) by Manuel and Antonio Machado.

Book cover. Image taken from a poetry blog

The Lola is a collaborative work by two writers who, though brothers, do no share the same ideological and philosophical viewpoint on the Andalusian reality, representing, in part, the flamenquismo (fondness for flamenco) of Manuel Machado and, at the same time, the religiosity and social criticism of Antonio Machado. In one way or another, this piece of literary composition can be understood in the context of the 1920's attempt to promote flamenco as high art. As stated by Juan C. Toledano in his article on the play (see the references), flamenco is the essence that God put in the world to fix it, and Lola, an Andalusian, has picked it up in her singing and takes it with her throughout the country to the south, as do the waters of the Guadalquivir.

Bridge of Carlos III over a tributary of the Guadalquivir at Alcalá de Guadaíra. Image taken from here

There are two film adaptations of the Machado brothers' play, the first of them being set 46 years before the other, but before I describe them shortly, I need to utter a few words about the storyline of the play. Lola is a beautiful flamenco singer (cantaora) from San Fernando (Cádiz), in the films acted by Juana Reina and Rocío Jurado. All men desire her, including a landlord Don Diego, who invites her to his premises in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, where Lola meets José Luís, his son, who also wants to have her, but Lola rejects him for having set her life for singing. Her gift seems to demand that she keep away from love.

Juana Reina. Image taken from Emilio Jiménez Díaz's blog

Rocío Jurado. Image taken from Emilio Jiménez Díaz's blog

As discussed in the volume of essays on Spanish and Portuguese films edited by Alberto Mira (see the references), Lola is described as not just an interpreter of, but as the being of poetry that springs up from the people, expressed in the profundity of folk song. Lola is widely known and there is something bewitching in her singing that is considered to capture the imagination of everyone listening to it. Intriguing, right? Kindly hear what's available on YouTube, and, given there's a choice of two interpretations to her character, find something enjoyable in each of them!

Juana Reina as Lola in the 1947 film, directed by Juan de Orduña:

Rocío Jurado as Lola in the 1998 film, directed by Josefina Molina: