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Federico García Lorca.

Federico García Lorca — Composer
Born Fuente Vaqueros, Spain
Died Víznar, Spain
Citizenship Spain
Would Be 128 yr If Living

6 min read

Reading time

1,133

Words

Published

1

Film credit

TL;DR

Executed by firing squad in 1936 at age 38, Federico García Lorca wrote the plays Blood Wedding and Yerma. Born in Fuente Vaqueros in 1898, he became a central figure in Spanish literature. His support for the Republic led to his death. His work continues to influence musicians worldwide.

Identity & family.

KIN · 5

Names, aliases, and relatives of Federico García Lorca — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

Aliases Federico Carcia, S. Garbuzov, Federico Garcia Lorca, Frederico García Lorca
PARENTS
Vicenta Lorca Romero Federico García Rodríguez
SIBLINGS
Francisco García Lorca Isabel García Lorca Concepción García Lorca

At a glance.

STATS

Federico García Lorca by the numbers — life, work, and family.

38 Years lived
1 Film credit

Who was Federico García Lorca?

BIOGRAPHY

Federico García Lorca — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

Born in 1898 in Fuente Vaqueros, a small town in Andalusia, to a wealthy landowner and a teacher, Federico García Lorca grew up in the fertile Vega of Granada. He was immersed in Andalusian folk culture, which later permeated his poetry and plays. He studied at the University of Granada, first at the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, where he developed his literary talents.

Career

Lorca’s first major success came with the publication of Poema del cante jondo in 1921, but his international breakthrough was the play Blood Wedding in 1933. The following year, he wrote Yerma, another notable work. He also worked as a composer and musician, and was a member of the theater company La Barraca, which brought classical Spanish drama to rural audiences.

Personal life

Lorca never married and had no children. He remained close to his siblings, especially his brother Francisco and sisters Isabel and Concepción. His support for the Spanish Republic in the 1930s made him a target, leading to his execution by Nationalist forces in 1936.

Legacy

Lorca’s influence extends beyond literature into music: The Clash’s Spanish Bombs and the Pogues’ Lorca’s Novena pay homage to him. Leonard Cohen named his daughter after him and set his poem Take This Waltz to music. In 2003, the opera Ainadamar by Osvaldo Golijov and David Henry Hwang dramatized his last days. Today, he is remembered as a major poet and playwright and a symbol of resistance.

Filmography.

FILMS · 1

Browse the complete filmography of Federico García Lorca — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.

  1. Movie Poster for The Prado Museum: a Collection of Wonders

    The Prado Museum: a Collection of Wonders

Did you know?

FACTS · 2

Little-known facts about Federico García Lorca — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

  1. The lyrical nature of his poetry inspired many musical tributes, including the Clash song Spanish Bombs from London Calling, the Pogues’ Lorca’s Novena from Hell’s Ditch, and Leonard Cohen’s setting of Take This Waltz from I’m Your Man. Cohen also named his daughter Lorca. In 2003, composer Osvaldo Golijov and playwright David Henry Hwang collaborated on the opera Ainadamar, about Lorca’s last days.

  2. His birth was precisely at 12:00 AM Central European Time.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 30

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Federico García Lorca.

Audited & updated by

Michael Hayes

Senior Copy Editor & Editorial Fact Reviewer

Michael is the last person to read a profile before it goes live, which makes him the one who catches what everyone else missed. 5 years as a copy editor has given him a sharp sense for what's off. A wrong year, a vague credit, a sentence that almost makes sense but doesn't quite. He's especially thorough with filmographies. He'll tell you that's where most of the errors hide. He's right.

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