AN AUTHENTIC FLAMENCO FESTIVAL

The end of festival party

Candela Olivo. Mont de Marsan (France), 6 July, 2002

Artists. Dance: Adela Campallo, María José Franco, Mercedes Ruiz, Juan de los Reyes, Andrés Peña, El Toleo. Cante and dance: Herminia, María Márquez, Luis Peña, Bo, Nono Manzano, Manuel de Angustias, Rafael el Cable. Cante: Juan José Amador, Guillermo Manzano, Miguel de Badajoz. Guitar: Juan Diego, Antonio Moya, Eugenio Iglesias, El Califa. Hall de Nahuque. Mont de Marsan (France), 6 July, 2002. 7.30pm

El Cable (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

María José Franco (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Mont de Marsan is in love with flamenco just as much as if it was located in the middle of Andalucia. Why else would more than a thousand people come together to bid farewell to the 14th edition of the festival? And in such a special way, with a huge celebratory meal served up in one of covered halls situated in one of the parks that serves the city, the Hall de Nahuque, which was where Camarón performed in 1990. On this occasion the farewell was enlivened by a diverse cast of over twenty flamenco artists intent on joining in the party atmosphere.

Despite the number and variety of artists brought together on the stage, the show was based mainly on bulerías, although there were exceptions. El Toleo and Andrés Peña began with alegrías. The duo formed by the charismatic Adela Campallo and the edgy Mercedes Ruiz, as well as and the elegant María José Franco (El Pipa's soloist), who danced a soleá, and the raw singer-dancer Herminia, who dared to perform tangos, all did their bit to open the way to a wider range of more extrovert flamenco.

Despite the general din and the overwhelming guitars - four were too many - it was a treat to see the specialists doing everything from singing and dancing to setting up the microphones. One of the group Rafael el Cable, from Seville's La Alameda, set about performing popular cartoon themes in bulerías style. Manuel de Angustias paid tribute to his colleague Bambino de Utrera, using all his dramatic powers to perform 'El poeta lloró', with all the other artists joining in the chorus. The Jerez-born Bo, who usually works with La Macanita, said a few words and then danced a few steps and Luis Peña performed the bulerías in a similar light-hearted manner. Then there was the cavernous voice of Nono and the coarse cante of María Márquez to name but a few more...

All of this was part of the party that brought the festival itself to an appropriate conclusion.

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