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Friday, August 18th.
XV Festival de Cante de Las Minas. La Union.
Memories of a moment
The seven last semifinalists of the Contest of La Union can be classified
in different styles
Rocío Segura
Eleven of the sixteen "cantes" performed during the third night of the contest
qualified for the final, after running the risk of realizing an interpretation
of one sole trend at that moment. Among those who qualified were the three "cantes"
of Rocio Segura, just like last year, but back then this 20-year-old woman from
Almeria, of a fresh and enthusiastic voice, was not able to participate in the
final due to a fatal gastroenteritis.
Rafael Calderón
The contestants qualified for the final following two different styles. Raul
Cortes of Madrid showed that his specialty resides in the "cantes" of the local
area, which he stretches ("taranta", "levantica" and "cartagenera"); Rafael Calderon
of Seville, who has already won in this contest prizes for his "taranto" and "cartagenera",
raised his "mineras" in the search of a mold and performed "fandangos" that were
much applauded by the over eight-hundred people present at the ancient market;
and finally Miguel Ortega, from los Palacios, who went from west to east, following
this sequence: "minera", "cartagenera", "malagueña" and a tremendous "solea",
which served as a closing act for the semifinals, leaving the night filled with
his rumor.
Manuela Ríos
All of them qualified for the final. Even the three contestants for the lampara
minera prize managed to do so in that third day. This was not the case with Manuel
Calderon, from Cataluña (very professional, despite his 20 years of age
and of being always in a lower level than the guitar player, Paco Javier Jimeno)
who only managed to place his "cartagenera" in the final.
On the other hand, it is now certain that the Desplante (dance prize) will
go to Seville and that the Bordon Minero (guitar) will go to Cordoba, since the
finalists are the Sevillian "bailaora" (flamenco dancer) Manuela Rios (who, with
the accompaniment of the voices of Juan Jose Amador and Jose Anillo, showed her
ability in a "tarantango" and in the "bulerias por solea"), and Jesus
Majuelo, a young guitar player from Cordoba who played under the influence of
Amigo and who caused a very good impression... as well as certain doubts in the
jury, as he performed a "minera" when the mandatory "taranta" had been announced.
They were unique moments for a memory without a lighted fire, as Zaafra
tries to demonstrate with his "mural-manifesto" placed at the door of the market,
"Memoria de un instante eterno" ("Memory of an eternal moment").
Luis Clemente
Translation: Pekka Odriozola
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