AYALA Y HERRERA, ADELARDO LOPEZ DE (1828-1879), Spanish writer and politician, was born at Guadal canal and at a very early age began writing for the theatre. A four-act play in verse, Un Hombre de Estado, was accepted by the managers of the Teatro Espanol, and given on Jan. 25, 1851. Within a twelve-month Ayala became more widely known by his Castigo y Perdon, and by the humorous Los dos Guzmanes. In 1854 he produced Rioja, perhaps the most admired and the most admirable of all his works. About 1855 Ayala, who had been an active partisan of the moderates, passed over to the progressives and this political manoeuvre had its effect upon the character of his plays. On Feb. 20, 1856, his El Conde de Castralla was sup pressed by the government after the third performance. Ayala's rupture with the moderates was now complete, and in 1857 he was elected as Liberal deputy for Badajoz. His political changes are difficult to follow or to explain. In 1871 he returned to his early Conservative principles, and was a member of Alfonso XII.'s first cabinet. Meanwhile his reputation as a dramatist was increased by El Tanto por Ciento and El Tejado de Vidrio, plays satiric in intention and romantic in inspiration. His last play, Consuelo, was given on March 3o, 1878. The best of his lyrical work is his Epistola to Emilio Arrieta; if he had written lyrics, he might have ranked with the best of Spain's modern singers.
See the complete edition of his dramatic works, edited by his friend and rival Tamayo y Raus, 1881-85.