Podcast Summary: Hoy por Hoy, "El viaje de ida | Victorina Durán o como vivir muchas vidas en una sola"

Podcast: Hoy por Hoy
Host: Àngels Barceló & Team
Episode Air Date: November 5, 2025
Theme: The multifaceted life and legacy of Victorina Durán, trailblazer of Spanish theatre, lesbian icon, and artistic pioneer.

Overview

This episode of "El viaje de ida" takes listeners on an engaging exploration of Victorina Durán’s extraordinary life—a woman who challenged gender and social norms in early 20th-century Spain. Through poems, personal memoirs, expert commentary, and fascinating anecdotes, the panel highlights Durán’s artistic achievements, her pivotal role in feminist and LGBTQ+ circles, her experience of exile, and her enduring legacy as a fearless creative and openly queer woman in a repressive society.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Victorina Durán: Early Life & Background

• Family Contrasts: Daughter of a conservative military man with ties to Spanish royalty and a mother who was a dancer, exposing Victorina to both strict and bohemian worlds.

  • “Su madre odiaba el teatro” – Ángel [01:41], reflecting the complex family views on her career directions.

• Early Sexual Awakening:

  • Discovering her sexuality through encounters with women in her household, which she openly recounts in her memoirs.
  • Quotes from her memoirs illustrate both the innocence and boldness of her early sexual explorations in a restrictive environment.
    • “Me enseñó ciertos tocamientos, descubriéndome el placer... Rosa llevaba una blusa abierta...” [04:00]

2. Education & Artistic Formation

• Diverse Artistic Training:

  • Studied at top conservatories and art schools, mingling with contemporaries like Dalí and Rosa Chacel.
  • Faced limited options as a woman: “Solo había dos: adornar el hogar o ser maestra.” – Eva Moreno Lago [05:30]

• First Significant Relationship:

  • In Valencia, she started her first sexual and romantic relationship with marquesa Margarita Ruiz de Liori (1921), a pivotal experience for her personal emancipation.
    • Memorable moment: “Su pelo rojo me rozó la frente y… me hizo estremecer.” – Narrator [06:03]

3. Breaking Social Norms & Creating Community

• Lack of Language for Queerness:

  • The word “lesbiana” wasn't even in circulation, and women loving women existed in secrecy.
    • “A la relación entre mujeres le faltaba léxico.” – Eva Moreno Lago [06:47]
    • “Yo quiero hablar de que amar a otras mujeres era algo normal.” – Matilde Calvo Rodero [07:01]

• Founding Feminist Spaces:

  • Co-founded the legendary Liceo Club, a hub for forward-thinking women from diverse backgrounds.
    • “Vosotras también sois parte de la vida cultural de España...” – Ángel [09:46]
  • Victorina’s gender-nonconforming presentation (pelo corto, pantalones) challenged aesthetic norms of the era.
    • “Ella siempre iba de hombre, ¿Sabes?” – Narrator [10:43]

• Safe Spaces for LGBTQ+ Women:

  • Established the Círculo Sáfico, offering community and safety for lesbians. “Era una posibilidad más que dos mujeres estudiantes estuvieran besando…” – Matilde Calvo Rodero [11:25]

4. Artistic Success & Influence

• Theatre and Design Revolution:

  • Worked with greats like Lorca and Margarita Xirgu, innovated stage and costume design, and advanced Batik technique.
  • “Participó en proyectos fundamentales... se convirtió en figura central en el vestuario escénico.” – Ángel [08:02]

• París Triumph and Liceo Club:

  • Won at the 1925 International Exhibition in Paris, funding her stay by selling hand-painted scarves.
    • “Vendiendo pañuelos pintados en batik a un duro...” – Doia Murga [08:58]

• Visual Art in the Face of Danger:

  • Created erotic and intimate drawings now showcased in major museums.
    • Notable description: “Una amante está en una escena muy íntima.” – Ángel [12:10]

5. Exile & Resilience During Francoism

• Civil War & Fleeing Spain:

  • Left Spain after Lorca’s assassination and personal risk from Franco’s regime, embarking to Buenos Aires with her partner.
    • “En este barco perdió el miedo.” – Eva Moreno Lago [13:27]
    • Quote: “Vamos a acabar con todos los rojos y maricones que hay en España.” – Ángel [13:10]

• Life in Argentina:

  • Built a network within the community of exiles, worked at Teatro Colón, opened an antiques shop, and taught art—a testimony to her adaptability and drive.
    • “Empezó a impartir algunas conferencias artísticas en torno a la indumentaria.” – Carmen Gaitán [14:07]

6. Return to Spain & Legacy

• Challenging Francoist Spain:

  • Fought for her rights and academic standing, facing a bureaucratic wall but benefitting from her family’s influence.
    • “Era más bien roja y que ahora viene preguntando qué pasa. Pues que no le van a devolver el trabajo.” – Carmen Gaitán [15:15]

• Personal Connections:

  • Nephew Paco Morales remembers her as a mentor and confidante in matters of love and identity:
    • “Con la que hablaba yo de todas estas cosas… era con la tía Victorina. Era como una psicóloga excepcional.” – Paco Morales [15:49]

• Lasting Wisdom:

  • Filled her house with memorable advice:
    • “Te arrepientes más de lo que no has hecho que de lo que has hecho mal.” – Paco Morales [16:38]
    • “Los amigos son más peligrosos por lo que no te dejan hacer que por lo que te hacen hacer.” – Paco Morales [16:38]

• Final Thoughts from Victorina’s Memoirs:

  • “Esto que escribí es todo verdad... cariño, ternura, placer, dolor, risas y llanto, pero siempre amor. Y para quien desconoce cómo es este amor, que ahora sepa que así es... No sé si habré dejado de amar por haber muerto o si habré muerto por haber dejado de amar.” – Narrator [16:49]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On sexual awakening and early exploration:

  • “Me enseñó ciertos tocamientos, descubriéndome el placer…” – Narrator [04:00]

• On the importance of female community and visibility:

  • “Yo quiero hablar de que amar a otras mujeres era una realidad, era algo que pasaba, era algo normal.” – Matilde Calvo Rodero [07:01]

• On exile and fear under Franco:

  • “Vamos a acabar con todos los rojos y maricones que hay en España.” – Ángel [13:10]

• On living authentically:

  • “Te arrepientes más de lo que no has hecho que de lo que has hecho mal.” – Paco Morales [16:38]
  • “No sé si habré dejado de amar por haber muerto o si habré muerto por haber dejado de amar.” – Narrator quoting Victorina [16:49]

Important Segments & Timestamps

• 04:00–04:29: Victorina’s frank description of her early sexual experiences
• 05:30–06:15: Artistic formation and first major relationship
• 08:02–09:46: Professional triumphs and creation of feminist spaces
• 11:11–12:05: Establishment of the Círculo Sáfico and cultural legacy
• 12:38–13:57: Exodus during Civil War, personal and societal impacts
• 14:44–15:37: Return to Spain and fights for recognition
• 16:38–16:49: Victorina’s wisdom and reflections on love and life

Conclusion

In this episode, Victorina Durán emerges as a beacon of artistic innovation and personal freedom. Through her story, listeners gain a window into the vibrant, turbulent world of early 20th-century Spain—a world where art, politics, sexuality, and courage were in constant, often dangerous, negotiation. The participants emphasize not only Durán’s professional milestones but also her role in forging community and language for women who, like her, “vivieron muchas vidas en una sola.”