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Something to sing about: 'worst art restoration ever' inspires an opera Something to sing about: 'worst art restoration ever' inspires an opera
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With just a few strokes of a paintbrush, Cecilia Giménez unwittingly became one of Spain’s best-known living painters.With just a few strokes of a paintbrush, Cecilia Giménez unwittingly became one of Spain’s best-known living painters.
The honour was dubious, with Giménez famous for all the wrong reasons after her attempt at restoring a painting of Christ in her local church in 2012.The honour was dubious, with Giménez famous for all the wrong reasons after her attempt at restoring a painting of Christ in her local church in 2012.
Phrases such as “the worst restoration in history” and “a crayon sketch of a very hairy monkey in an ill-fitting tunic” were used to describe her attempt to repair the 1930 artwork – a depiction of Christ with a crown of thorns in a style known as Ecce Homo (Behold the Man).Phrases such as “the worst restoration in history” and “a crayon sketch of a very hairy monkey in an ill-fitting tunic” were used to describe her attempt to repair the 1930 artwork – a depiction of Christ with a crown of thorns in a style known as Ecce Homo (Behold the Man).
Now Giménez, 83, has found herself back in the spotlight, as preliminary rehearsals begin for an American comic opera inspired by her story.Now Giménez, 83, has found herself back in the spotlight, as preliminary rehearsals begin for an American comic opera inspired by her story.
“When I first read about Cecilia, it struck me that this would make a terrific piece,” said Andrew Flack, who wrote the libretto for the new opera, Behold the Man. “What Cecilia did is miraculous in some way.”“When I first read about Cecilia, it struck me that this would make a terrific piece,” said Andrew Flack, who wrote the libretto for the new opera, Behold the Man. “What Cecilia did is miraculous in some way.”
The comic opera is loosely based on her story. “It’s funny, it has a very comic element, but at the same time we’re not making fun of Cecilia – we’re really honouring her faith that she could overcome this,” he said.The comic opera is loosely based on her story. “It’s funny, it has a very comic element, but at the same time we’re not making fun of Cecilia – we’re really honouring her faith that she could overcome this,” he said.
The botched attempt at restoration catapulted Giménez into the public eye. The botched attempt at restoration catapulted Giménez into the public eye. “There were all these memes that were created – these crazy, crazy memes. The internet is a character in the opera, because it was really the internet that caused the sensation,” said Flack.
“There were all these memes that were created – these crazy, crazy memes. The internet is a character in the opera, because it was really the internet that caused the sensation,” said Flack.
Giménez struggled to cope with the attention. “She was devastated when it first happened,” Flack said. “She was in depression, she was on medication, she felt so terrible. But then it kind of turned around.”Giménez struggled to cope with the attention. “She was devastated when it first happened,” Flack said. “She was in depression, she was on medication, she felt so terrible. But then it kind of turned around.”
As tourists began making the trek to Borja, a town 200 miles north-east of Madrid hit hard by the eurozone crisis, Giménez was transformed from town villain to its saviour.As tourists began making the trek to Borja, a town 200 miles north-east of Madrid hit hard by the eurozone crisis, Giménez was transformed from town villain to its saviour.
As she proudly told the Guardian earlier this year: “The restoration has put Borja on the world map, meaning I’ve done something for my village that nobody else was able to do. As she proudly told the Guardian earlier this year: “The restoration has put Borja on the world map, meaning I’ve done something for my village that nobody else was able to do. So many people have come here – and to our beautiful church – to see the painting … they tell me more than 130,000 people.”
“So many people have come here – and to our beautiful church – to see the painting … they tell me more than 130,000 people.”
Related: Life after a viral nightmare: from Ecce Homo to revenge pornRelated: Life after a viral nightmare: from Ecce Homo to revenge porn
Flack travelled to Borja in 2013 to meet Giménez and see firsthand how her ruined fresco had revived the town. He returned home with Giménez’s blessing to put together the opera and continues to correspond with the family several times a week. Flack travelled to Borja in 2013 to meet Giménez and see first-hand how her ruined fresco had revived the town. He returned home with Giménez’s blessing to put together the opera and continues to correspond with the family several times a week.
Originally the plan was to premiere the show in Flack’s home state of Colorado, but he and his team are now leaning towards launching the opera where the story began: in the small town of Borja, population 5,000. Originally the plan was to premiere the show in Flack’s home state of Colorado, but he and his team are now leaning towards launching the opera where the story began: in the small town of Borja, population 5,000. “There’s just been so much interest from the family and the town itself,” he said.
“There’s just been so much interest from the family and the town itself,” he said. While Giménez’s story is one of a kind, Flack said the story that underpins the opera is a universal one. “That a miracle can come from a disaster: that you can make lemons from lemonade,” he said. “Or that you make a terrible mistake on a fresco and it turns into something beneficial.”
While Giménez’s story is one of a kind, Flack said the story that underpins the opera is a universal one.
“That a miracle can come from a disaster – that you can make lemons from lemonade,” he said. “Or that you make a terrible mistake on a fresco and it turns into something beneficial.”