de Falla and Sierra

Synopsis

London might seem an unlikely venue for the premiere of this quintessentially Spanish music — but it was a decidedly international affair when Manuel de Falla’s ballet The Three-Cornered Hat received its premiere performance at the Alhambra Theatre in London on today’s date in 1919.

The ballet was choreographed by Russian dancer Leonide Massine, who performed in the premiere with the Ballet Russe company headed by Serge Diaghilev, who had commissioned de Falla to write the work in the first place. The conductor for the premiere, Ernest Ansermet, was Swiss, but the scenery, costumes and curtain, at least, were designed by de Falla’s countryman, famous Spanish artist Pablo Piccasso.

Andalucian by birth, but living in Paris, de Falla must have found it frustrating that during this time his music was sometimes snubbed in Spain as sounding too cosmopolitan, and then pigeon-holed abroad as sounding too Spanish!

The career of Latino-American composer Roberto Sierra has also turned out to be similarly cosmopolitan. Born in Puerto Rico in 1953, Sierra studied in Europe — with the Hungarian composer György Ligeti among others — before returning to the United States where he now lives and works. His music has been performed by leading American ensembles and orchestras — including the Philadelphia Orchestra, where Sierra served as composer-in-residence. This chamber work by Sierra, Eros, was written for flutist Carol Wincenc.

Music Played in Today's Program

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946): The Three-Cornered Hat; Ballet Suisse Romande Orchestra; Ernest Ansermet, conductor; London 414 039

Roberto Sierra (b. 1953): Eros; Jeani Foster, flute; Stefanie Jacob, piano; Fleur de son Classics 57950

On This Day

Births

• 1822 - Italian composer Luigi Arditti, in Crescentino, Piedmont

Deaths

• 1870 - Austrian composer Josef Strauss, 42, in Vienna

Premieres

• 1833 - Cherubini: opera, Ali Baba, at Paris Opéra

• 1844 - Wagner: A Faust Overture, in Dresden

• 1847 - Verdi: opera I Masnadieri (The Bandits), in London at Her Majesty’s Theater

• 1919 - Manuel de Falla: ballet, The Three-Cornered Hat, in London, by Diaghilev's Ballet Russe

• 1930 - Chavez: ballet The Four Suns, in Mexico City;

• 1934 - Cowell: Movement for string quartet (String Quartet No. 2), at Mills College in Oakland, Calif., by the Pro Arte String Quartet

• 2000 - London premiere of Colin Matthews: Pluto - The Renewer (intended as a contribution to Gustav Holst’s The Planets), at a BBC Proms concert. This music was first performed on May 11, 2000, by the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, with Kent Nagano conducting.