The Cante de las Minas Festival 2002 combines youth, experience and diversity

Flamenco-world.com

The 'Cathedral of Cante', La Unión's modernist marketplace, is preparing for the forty-second edition of the Festival Internacional de Cante de las Minas. The festival and contest which is to take place from August 7th to 17th, 2002 in the small Murcia town, is offering a diverse lineup of artists that includes cante both young and veteran, dance extravaganzas and even Japanese flamenco artists. Antonio Canales, La Paquera, Carmen Linares, José Mercé, Niña Pastori, Yoko Komatsubara and Diego Amador are the principal names at a festival which also includes competition for the coveted 'lámparas mineras' in singing, dance and guitar.

In paying tribute to La Paquera de Jerez, the forty-second Festival Internacional del Cante de las Minas is showing its support for solid traditional cante. In addition to the Jerez singer, the lineup includes recitales by the singer from Jaén Carmen Linares, and again José Mercé, the former currently touring with her latest record "Un ramito de locura", and the latter with a new project underway. Veteran cante will rub elbows with the younger set as represented by the singer from La Isla, Niña Pastori, not a common fixture at flamenco festivals. From the same generation, Diego Amador, Raimundo's younger brother, who not only sings pop and flamenco, but also plays a variety of instruments, is also scheduled to perform.

In the dance department, the festival is concentrating on spectacular shows, as in the previous edition which featured Sara Baras, María Pagés and Rafael Amargo. Cristina Hoyos will present 'Tierra Adentro', a work based on a novel concerning life in Río Tinto, a mining town in Huelva, while Antonio Canales will take on 'Bailaor', a show which the dancer from Seville has been touring with since its debut at Seville's Bienal de Flamenco, 2000. For the first time, the festival is also importing shows from abroad including Japanese dancer Yoko Komatsubara's ballet, a gesture which pays tribute to the Japanese fondness for flamenco.

Guitar is the fringe flamenco event of the festival. Carlos Piñana, guitarist from Cartagena (Murcia), will concentrate the full weight of his instrument, a responsibility last year held by Vicente Amigo. Wrapping up the festival, the semifinals and finals of the international singing, guitar and dance contests are scheduled to take place between the 14th and 17th of August. Those who carry off the Lámpara Minera -previous winners included artists such as Miguel Poveda, Carlos Piñana and Paco del Pozo- will close out the festival.

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