The Performance History of Golden-Age Drama in Spain (1939-2006)

It has become a commonplace in comedia studies to lament the lack of a performance tradition in Spain. However, this claim is rarely substantiated with a detailed analysis of comedia performance over a sustained period of time. Focusing primarily on productions of works by the three chief proponents of Golden-Age drama (Calderón, Lope, and Tirso), this article will analyse, chronologically, the tradition of comedia performance in Spain between 1939 and 2006. I will offer a description of moods, trends, and styles that have underpinned the production and reception of Spanish seventeenth-century plays since the end of the Civil War, often highlighting the production and reception of specific performances. (DW)