Pilar de Valderrama

The Instituto Cervantes invites you to a round-table around the book "Pilar de Valderrama. Memories of a Great Secret" («Pilar de Valderrama. Memorias de un gran secreto»), about the figure of the protagonist, who covers her life and continues to this day, through the pen of her granddaughter, Alicia Viladomat. This book of stories is the result of the study of a family archive with a multitude of documents, found by its author.

It has two parts: The first consists of twelve chapters written by Alicia Viladomat, with a prologue by Fernando Valderrama and an epilogue by Carlos Aganzo; throughout these pages and through the eyes of her granddaughter we can learn about Pilar Valderrama's life during the last twenty-two years that she shared with her granddaughter. To delve deeper into her family, the characters who passed through her life, how she lived the best and worst moments, who were her confidants and to investigate her personality and her work. Pilar Valderrama, writer and playwright, was a pioneer of chamber theatre, as well as a pioneering “cultural manager” and defender of women's rights. The book contains a multitude of documents that bear witness to the thoughts of intellectuals and critics about her work and her relationship with Antonio Machado.

The second part arose from the impossibility of finding copies of Si, Soy Guiomar - Memorias de mi vida by Pilar de Valderrama with a prologue by Jorge Guillen, so a reissue of this volume is included. It also includes three letters from Antonio Machado, addressed to her and their corresponding transcription.

Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations of the UN, and the author of the book, and granddaughter of Pilar Valderrama, Alicia Viladomat, will participate in the event. The conversation will be moderated by Carla Rodríguez Mancía, Guatemala's ambassador to the UN.