Imperial Stagings: Empire and Ideology in Transatlantic Theater of Early Modern Spain and the New World (University of North Carolina Press, 2013)

The promotion of state ideology was pervasive in early modern Spain and its New World colonies. One cultural medium affected, theater--the most popular and viable form of mass entertainment at the time--frequently played a role in the advancement of imperial rule. However, despite censorship and the state control of theaters, early modern dramatists also found novel and covert methods to criticize Spain's handling of its imperial affairs by proposing alternative solutions to the problems with which they dealt. Imperial Stagings shows how the drama confronted the economic, legal, socio-political, and religious problems of Spain and its colonies. As a reciprocal transatlantic phenomenon, the dramas studied here interacted with Spanish imperial ideology as they attempted to foster the creation of a national identity.

Transatlantic Arias: Early Opera in Spain and the New World (Iberoamericana/Vervuert, 2013).

Employing current theories of ideology, propaganda and musical reception, Transatlantic Arias examines the development and impact of early opera in Spain and the Americas through close examination of the New World’s first three extant operas. What emerges is an amazing history of extraordinarily complex lyrical and musical works for their time and place, which are also critical for illuminating inimitable perspectives on the cohabitation and collaboration of indigenous groups and Europeans. 

 An annotated critical edition of Lazarillo de Tormes (Waveland Press, 2013)

Lazarillo de Tormes is considered the world’s first picaresque novel and its prototype. Published in 1554 concurrently in Spain and Antwerp by an unknown author, the book tells the story of Lazarillo, an orphaned boy who becomes an apprentice to a series of masters, each of whom train him in the ways of the world. As the adult narrator, Lázaro explains how through cunning, deception, and wit, he has been able to overcome his ignoble birth to ascend socially and prosper materially. But in the process of reading his story, we become mindful of the difficulties of living in imperial Spain. This edition contains solid historical background material places the text in its cultural milieu and helps learners of Spanish master this fantastic story. The text is further annotated with abundant vocabulary glosses, end-of-chapter questions for comprehension and analysis, and helpful and informative notes. 

 Hispanic Studies in Honor of Robert L. Fiore co-edited with Julia Domínguez (Juan de la Cuesta, 2009) 

A collection of 32 essays on topics ranging from colonial Latin American literature to Golden Age theater to contemporary Spanish film written by some of the world's most reknown hispanists in honor of Prof. Robert L. Fiore.