Manolo Sanlúcar delves into the study of flamenco guitar, along with teachers José Antonio Rodríguez and Manolo Franco

Flamenco-world.com, July 2003

"La Unión engenders art and discovers figures". Journalist José Manuel Gamboa summed up the essence of the Las Minas International Cante Festival with these words when the forty-third edition was presented in the capital of Spain. On the one hand, the festival - which is to be held from August 6th to 16th, 2003 in La Unión (Murcia, Spain) - breathes oxygen into the legacy, giving rise to encounters such as that of the three great maestros coinciding in 'Historias de arte' ('Art Histories'): Chano Lobato, Matilde Coral and Juan Habichuela. On the other hand, it waters the shoots, making room for young figures such as Estrella Morente and Miguel Poveda, adding to it the prestigious contest. At the same time, the Las Minas festival also opens up to dance, flamenco opera and jazz, with proposals such as those of the Andalusian Dance Company, Xeb-Alhamar Group and Gerardo Núñez Trio.

"La Unión's old public market will open its doors for eleven days to show the world the best of flamenco". This is the welcoming message with which the mayor of La Unión accompanies the bill of the 43rd Las Minas International Cante Festival. An edition which, as the festival's director, José Hernández, notes, "is announced with a Dalí, is proclaimed with the Rabals - a family of Spanish actors - and pays homage to Antonio Gades".

The festival raises its curtains with two opening days on August 6th and 7th, which include the trouvère evening, the public announcement and the performance of the winners from the previous edition: cantaor Manuel Cuevas, guitarist Antonio Soto and bailaora Ángeles Gabaldón. The festival's first star evening, Friday, August 8th, was offered to Rocío Jurado, who was going to change Spanish song for flamenco. The performance was canceled in the end and the artist was substituted by four first-rate cantaoras: Remedios Amaya, Esperanza Fernández, María Vargas and Encarnación Fernández. .

The following night, that of Saturday, August 9th, has threefold lineage, that provided by cantaor Chano Lobato, bailaora Matilde Coral and tocaor Juan Habichuela in their show together 'Historias de arte', which premiered last season in the Flamenco Thursdays of Seville's El Monte Foundation. Juan Habichuela recalls that he has been in this festival "many times, even with Camarón". And he recalls one in particular with special affection: "I didn't want Paco de Lucía to get ill... I had to play for Camarón, Fosforito and Juan Villar. I was going to get dizzy! And it brought me great pride and satisfaction because it turned out to be one of the festivals in which I've played with the most feeling". As a counterpoint to the task of the veteran trio, young Catalan cantaor Miguel Poveda - who has the esteemed Lámpara from Las Minas to his credit - will offer a recital, together with guitarist Chicuelo and Sonia Poveda, guest artist on baile.

On Sunday, August 10th, the festival gets away from orthodoxy and offers a flamenco opera, 'Sueños de libertad' ('Dreams of Freedom'), created by the Xeb-Alhamar Group. The following day, back to young cante, but this time classical, corresponds to the always awaited Granada-born cantaora Estrella Morente. Next on Tuesday, August 12th, the festival proposes a twin bill in which, on the one hand, the Andalusian Dance Company (CAD) will perform 'Bodas de Sangre' by Antonio Gades, the bailaor and choreographer paid homage by this festival. José Antonio, director of CAD, explains that it is "a fundamental work in the history of baile and the possibility of having it in our repertoire fills us with pride". On the other hand, the Gerardo Núñez Trio will offer its brilliant repertoire to the audience, with bailaora Carmen Cortés as guest artist. The Jerez-born guitarist applauds the fact that Las Minas has scheduled guitar performances, since "the room made for flamenco guitar on the circuit is minimum, when we have to fight to give a chance to young people who are studying like hell".

The cante, toque and baile contest takes up the next four days of the festival. From August 13th to 15th, three phases of the semifinals will take place with candidates chosen in preliminary rounds held all over Spain throughout the year. As the climax, at the old market in Las Minas on August 16th, the final will be held in which the names of the new bearers of the Lámpara (Lamp), Bordón (String) and Desplante (Stance) prizes will be decided.