Joaquín Cortés, Eva Yerbabuena, Manolo Sanlúcar and María Pagés stand out on the bill

Flamenco-world.com, January 2004

Seville's Bienal de Flamenco has taken advantage of one of the world's greatest tourist forums, Fitur, to make the rough draft of its thirteenth edition known. From September 14th to October 10th, 2004, the Sevillian festival is scheduled to carry out a program of performances highlighted, for the time being, by Joaquín Cortés, Eva Yerbabuena, Manolo Sanlúcar, Manuela Carrasco, María Pagés, Israel Galván, Rafael Campallo, Carmen Linares, Dorantes, Chocolate, Bernarda de Utrera and La Paquera, among many other artists. The Bienal's director, Manuel Copete, affirms that "we're negotiating for Paco de Lucía to inaugurate the festival", which is special this year because it is celebrating its quarter-of-a-century anniversary. For this reason, the commemorative activities will be pushed forward to spring, with lectures, exhibits and shows by young talents.

Manolo Sanlúcar (photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Seville's Bienal de Flamenco number thirteen is presented with a poster created by Antoni Tàpies. This edition will be special for several reasons. The first one is the commemoration of this big festival's twenty-fifth anniversary. For this reason, it will start off in spring with several activities. On March 27th, there will be an inaugural lecture "in memory of the day when the presentation was read for the first" edition. Next, from April 12th to 25th, coinciding with the dates of that Bienal in 1980, a series of lectures, exhibits and courses will take place. Moreover, to be organized in collaboration with the Youth Institute and Andalusian Tourism is a show with young flamenco artists from which a selection will be made which will go on tour around Andalusia in February and March 2005. When summer comes, series of night recitals will be held at different venues in the city: an open-air one at María Luisa Park; and another, entitled 'A palo seco', featuring cante without amplification, at courtyards, palaces and small squares, which premiered in the previous edition.

The main program of the 2004 Bienal will take place at theaters in the city of Seville from September 14th to October 10th, somewhat later than usual. Although not all of the performances nor their definitive dates have been closed, Manuel Copete advances that they will offer premieres such as 'Mi música para tu luz', a tribute to painter Baldomero Romero Ressendi by guitarist Manolo Sanlúcar; 'Los Tarantos', a work with which Manuela Carrasco recalls the film by Rovira Beleta starring Carmen Amaya; the new show by Eva Yerbabuena; another by the Andalusian Dance Company, now directed by Cristina Hoyos; 'Triana' by Javier Latorre, a show about the flamenco rock group; 'Seis coreografías alrededor de los toros' by Israel Galván... Moreover, other shows will be able to be seen such as 'Sueños de ida y vuelta' by Serranito; 'De amor y odio' by Joaquín Cortés; 'Canciones para antes de una guerra' by María Pagés; 'Don Juan' by Rafael Campallo; 'Oración en la tierra' by Cristina Hoyos; 'Pasión y ley' by Antonio el Pipa; 'La mujer y el pelele' by Isabel Bayón, which takes its title from a novel by Pierre Loüys; 'Concierto para voz jonda' by José Menese; 'El amor brujo y siete canciones españolas' by Carmen Linares... There is no title yet, but also scheduled to perform are Joaquín Grilo, Miguel Poveda, Marina Heredia and Dorantes. The list of cantaores is extensive: Chocolate, Aurora Vargas, Bernarda de Utrera, Calixto Sánchez, Terremoto, La Paquera, Lebrijano, Pepe Montes, Arcángel, Mayte Martín and Diego Clavel, among others

This Bienal, as specified by Manuel Copete, will have a budget somewhat greater than 781,000 euros, which will be split up between Seville City Hall, with sixty percent; Andalusian Tourism, with twenty-five percent; and the rest, between the Andalusian Youth Institute and National Institute for Performing Arts and Music. The Bienal's director comments that "we're also seeking private sponsorship". Providing this advance at Fitur, a forum where international tourism agents converge, the Bienal is looking to draw a larger foreign crowd, offering its cultural appeal.

The opera 'Carmen'

Manuel Copete (photo: Daniel Muñoz)

The second reason why this edition is different is because it has had to adapt itself to the staging of the opera 'Carmen' throughout the entire city of Seville. From September 2nd to 12th, the German company Opera on Original Site will use Plaza de España, María Luisa Park and the Maestranza Bullring as stages for a spectacular opera that will be directed by filmmaker Carlos Saura. Implicit in this 'event' is its own flamenco festival, at a discount price, which will be held at La Cartuja Auditorium. The promoter, Michael Ecker, explains that "eighty percent of the potential crowd that we'll bring demands flamenco". He already advances that Sara Baras, Antonio Canales, José Mercé and Tomatito will perform at this venue.

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