Sara Baras, Diego el Cigala, Belén Maya and Mayte Martín, on the French bill

S.C. Seville, May 2005

Mont de Marsan is now getting ready for its annual flamenco event. The seventeenth edition of the French festival seeks “the balance between traditional cante and baile, and evolutionary offers”, in the words of artistic director Javier Puga. Sara Baras with ‘Sueños’ (‘Dreams’), Belén Maya and Mayte Martín with ‘Flamenco de cámara’ (‘Chamber Flamenco’), and Diego el Cigala with a new show stand out on the program, which closes this year with a tribute to Utrera. Also taking part on this bill, which will take place July 4th to 9th, 2005, will be young artists like Rafael Campallo and Pastora Galván, Carmen Grilo and José Valencia, José Maya and Antonio Rey... The closing dinner will be livened up by artists from the Sevillian neighborhood of Las Tres Mil. The related activities focus on training on the one hand, with courses by Taller Flamenco taught by Blanca del Rey and Belén Maya, among others; and on the other hand, on lectures by figures of the likes of Japanese bailaor Shoji Kojima and anthropologist Cristina Cruces.

Belén Maya (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Diego el Cigala (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

The presentation of the bill of the Mont de Marsan Festival's seventeenth edition was a scoop on what is going to happen in the French town little over a month from now. The artists gathered at the courtyard of the French Institute of Seville, located in the neighborhood of Santa Cruz, burst into a flamenco party as soon as the press conference had ended. Not even Matilde Coral could resist taking a stab at the bulerías, accompanied by Antonio el Cuchara. The group brought together artists from Utrera who will star in the closing show ‘Utrera Alive’ on Friday, July 8th at Espace François Mitterrand, with artists that will be in the ‘Las tres mil’ gala at the closing dinner scheduled at Nahuques Hall on Saturday, July 9th.

But four intense days of flamenco are scheduled before the grand finale. Sara Baras inaugurates the festival with the show ‘Sueños’, recovered following the extensive ‘Mariana Pineda’ tour, on Monday, July 4th at Espace François Mitterrand. On Tuesday, July 5th, the festival moves to the homely Singing Café, with a double bill consisting of a performance by cantaores Carmen Grilo and José Valencia, and the show ‘Flamenco de cámara’ by Belén Maya and Mayte Martín. With the title ‘Flamenco del siglo XXI’ (‘21st-Century Flamenco’), the jondo returns to the main stage on Wednesday, July 6th, with Diego el Cigala as the star. The openers for the Madrilenian cantaor, who has triumphed all over the world together with Bebo Valdés with ‘Lágrimas negras’, will be guitarist Antonio Rey and bailaor José Maya (Joselillo Romero).

Carmen Grilo (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

The second day at the Singing Café on Thursday, July 7th, will star the pair made up of bailaores Rafael Campallo and Pastora Galván with the show ‘Juntos’ (‘Together’), and the trio of guitarists from the Iglesias family. Also worthy of mention are the late-night shows in the fair tent set up at Place de la Mairie, with performances by local artists such as ‘Chispa Flamenca’ (‘Flamenco Spark’), ‘Kanele’, ‘Barrio flamenco’ (‘Flamenco Neighborhood’), ‘De bronce y encaje’ (‘Of Bronze and Lace’) and ‘4 estampas femeninas’ (‘4 Ladies' Pictures’).

The live flamenco performances are complemented by related activities. On the one hand, the School of Music and Dance has baile, guitar and compás courses scheduled for July 3rd to 8th, organized by the Sevillian school Taller Flamenco. Blanca del Rey, Belén Maya, Ángeles Gabaldón, Soraya Clavijo, Felipe Mayo and Lourdes Recio make up the faculty of baile instructors; El Gamba de Jerez does the clapping and compás classes; and Eugenio Iglesias and Pierre Pradal teach guitar. And on the other hand, room will be made for discussion every afternoon with the lectures ‘The Mont de Marsan Festival Archives’ by Javier Puga, ‘Women in Baile’ by Cristina Cruces, ‘My Life in Flamenco Dancing’ by Shoji Kojima and ‘Flamenco Guitar Through the Great Maestros’ by José Manuel Gamboa.

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