El festival of Cante Large from El Viso del Alcor This year saw a historic moment. Its forty-fourth edition paid tribute to the singer Second Falcon and changed his designation in perpetuity as festival of Cante Large Child Mattress, paying tribute to the illustrious flamenco Visueño –a posthumously chosen son of his people– who will be thanking him from the balconies of heaven in the same way that his family and friends rejoiced at such recognition.
The slip with the Roman numerals in the design of the poster will remain as an anecdote, given the work, dedication and commitment of the Peña Flamenca The Corner of the Pillar Many good moments will be remembered on the stage, where there was a bit of everything.
Let's address the shortcomings so we can leave with a good taste in our mouths afterward. Because that's how I came to rest it on my pillow. The empty stages and sloppy transitions were annoying. And... if any fan has attended a handful of festivals, without knowing for sure the financial resources available, they would glimpse a festival with not too many resources. And probably almost everything can be attributed to this cause. So, a little slap on the wrist for the municipal council—just enough to keep it from getting angry and letting itself fall—so that it can anticipate the matter and stretch its coffers by responding with the judiciary that a cultural event of this caliber deserves. The El Viso Festival always enjoys an enviable audience attendance, filled with people from all over the world. and which numerous artists are kind enough to attend. It is unacceptable to fall short of the mark. This way, we can offer lighting and sound that are up to par, as they were deficient, and put together a lineup in which all the artists flamencoThey have at least similar artistic merit, and not so disparate. Because we know everyone puts their heart into it, but each one sings and sounds the way they sing and sound. And the fees are a reality. With all due respect to everyone.
The fish was sold dearly after the break, with the dance of John of John, the performance of the honored Segundo Falcón and the cante de Antonio Reyes, in addition to the substantial closing party decorated by three authorities of the cante what veterans are like Enrique the Extremaduran, Cancanilla of Malaga y Nano from Jerez. Sonia Miranda It was his turn to break the ice and he followed her Manuela LambThese two women offered a scant appetizer for what came next. And I'll tell you about it.
"Antonio Reyes struggled with the only seguiriya of the night. It was time. He fused it with the macho of the anvil, forges, and hammers after two bodies carved from the belly, weeping for an old wound. He then freely abandoned himself to the joyful rhythm of bulerías. And he didn't leave without getting the crowd off their seats, who eagerly collected five or six fandangazos, some of them in the air, to keep them close to their chests."
The mastery of the word of the friend and companion Manuel Curao He carried out the presentation as well as he usually does, with that slowness, confidence, friendliness and poise that come from wisdom and experience in these matters. And after the endearing formal act of tribute in which Curao was full of praise and Falcón was full of thanks, the cante from Miranda.
Sonia Miranda
Sonia let go pearls by the thousands blending the airs of Almería with the echoes of the Levant, sewn by the Abandoned. It was sung in memory of Pastora through bamberas, searching with relative inaccuracy for new melodic sounds. He swayed in the farruca and ended with a tour of cantiñas: that of the smuggler, the wink to Pinini, alegrías de Córdoba… projecting a 'relaxing' voice, soft, warm, sweet, and melodious, which didn't exactly impress. My ears went straight to the sound hole of the very young guitar. Alvaro Moreno, a guitarist who is growing rapidly thanks to his good sense of rhythm, the originality of his falsetas, the fingering and the flamenco style he brings to his solo and accompanying compositions.
Manuela Lamb
Manuela Cordero was embraced by the infallible and loving Bajañí Antonio Carrion, to whom Seville owes a few tributes for its half century embracing the curves of the eaves of the cypress with which it has shielded the best of the cante throughout this time. The family at the palmasManuela took over from Sonia and also began with alegrías. She sought out the templé for soleá, went to Huelva for fandangos and ended with bulerías evoking Luis de la Pica, Pansequito, The Nougat Maker, Juanito Villar and a few more, including Carrión himself, to whom he dedicated a lyric. He had too many verses in all of them cantes. And rather than showing off his knowledge, it dragged on a bit. He sang with a certain degree of tradition, but with a more flamenco quality, only managing to achieve a decent performance.
John of John
The Canito and the cracked melismas of the bronze throat of David El Galli they threw the cante at the feet of John of John. The Petete marked the beat flawlessly. The neat and fine guitar with its Marchena-like sounds Paco Iglesias rounded out the scene to begin the dance of romances to Morón, continue with an interlude of fandangos, and close the final dance of soleá. This is where the enjoyment of the festival began. Because Juan is extraordinarily crazy and shakes you up with the cramp of his cuts and the fire of his snubs, always forceful and powerful, full of depth. He plays at remembering the old, and recreates each step he offers through a prism of genius that captures glances and oles. Many dancers in the audience couldn't hold back from filling his bag with cheers. The soleá creaked with solemnity. It weighed a hundred quintals due to the restraint in the movements, the intensity of his eyes, the expression of desolation and pain. It was chewed in the dragging, in his fists, and when he unleashed the scream from his precise and stubborn feet. Aesthetics count. And Juan clings to a traditional wardrobe that imbues him with a special aura of dancers who are both ancient and modern at the same time, because he reinterprets them, combining the freshness of someone with a brain well equipped for this with the essential well-being of his roots. To delve into his definition here is almost an insult. You have to feel it.
Second Falcon
Paco Jarana He is a true guitar master who has grown up in the shadows. But those who know how to distinguish him acclaim him. His accompaniment is tremendous, the touch he gives to the six rivers of silver and his excellence in composition. Simply sublime. And Segundo Falcón has the ear and the luck to have him on his left side. He is a guarantee of quality. The honoree of this edition loved the warmth of Álvaro Moreno's second guitar, the choruses and palmas de John the Dark, Juan Cantarote e Inma Rivero, with the percussion of Nani Suárez. Thus he presented his proposal, romanticizing with Carmona's diligence, taking care with his low voice, saying the canteHe found unique cadences in the Malaga style with rondeña and fandango. Peppermint BottleHe then enjoyed the soleá apolá and de Triana, giving a palate-filled review of the mellow and powerful styles of the Seville suburbs. These ranges suit his taste, allowing him to weave the swings of the Triana musical staff over his wide range of tonalities. The choruses entered with jaleos extremeños and bulerías, where, although he didn't fully achieve the aroma, he touched the edges of the cante from Extremadura, with a dedication and integrity worthy of applause. Segundo was excited and happy. And it showed in his throat. He had a good day, growing from strength to strength. Then he closed the door with a series of fandangos. Two natural ones, four from Huelva, and another one in the air, peeling his heart out before saying goodbye.
«Three authorities of the cante: Enrique El Extremeño, Cancanilla de Málaga and Nano de Jerez. They created a mess from the moment they opened their mouths. Experience is a degree. And I would add, a virtue. Because they are already impregnated with that perfume of which there is no more. These wise men of the cante With more experiences than gray hair, they set the stands boiling, spilling the flavor onto the platform.
Antonio Reyes
Manuel Vinaza y Ramon Reyes They discreetly placed the palmas for the singer from Chiclana. Antonio Reyes heated the honey of his throat and exposed his cante more than usual. The audience thanked him with a well-deserved ovation. Going beyond relief, Antonio delighted the audience. I liked him. As I also liked the guitar playing of Paco León, with Ceperian hues and its own colors, with fat drones and trills in the first, breeze in the silences and taste in everything. They began with tientos tangos with the slow swaying that works so well as a gypsy caress. He closed it by fitting a fandango into the rhythm. He searched for the only seguiriya of the night. It was time. He fused it with the macho of anvil, forges and hammers After two bodies were ripped from the belly, weeping over an old wound, he then freely abandoned himself to the joyful rhythm of bulerías. And he didn't leave without getting the crowd off their seats, who eagerly sang five or six fandangazos, some of them in the air, to keep them close to their chests.
The Extremaduran, Cancanilla and Nano from Jerez
Three authorities from the cante: Enrique El Extremeño, Cancanilla de Málaga and Nano de Jerez. They created a mess from the moment they opened their mouths. Experience is a degree. And I would add, a virtue. Because they are already impregnated with that perfume of which there is no more. These wise men of the cante With more experiences than gray hair, they got the stands boiling, spilling their flavor onto the stage and proving that age is nothing more than a number that, in these cases, you have to bet on. What's more, I would have loved for their recitals to be longer than others had to be shorter. Forgive me. It's a matter of taste and opinion. Incidentally, they were apparently shared by the small groups of people who were milling around there.
With the guitars of Moreno, Jarana and Carrión and the palmas Juan El Moreno and El Petete began to form it. El Extremeño, with the fat bells of his Adam's apple, declared his fondness for tarantos, measuring the tempo, with powerful attacks, breaking his ribs, with his eyes wide open. Nano clung to the bulería, exuding the essence of Mairena, with his salty kick, forgetting about the microphone pouch that he ended up rolling up in his jacket with grace. And Cancanilla did some age-like dances, singing bulerías with her own particular stamp, taking Gaspar's things into her guts, interspersed with her own, offering unforgettable moments for the festival.
The end of the party was prodigious. Yuka, Pepa Montes, Eva Yerbabuena, Maria Tavora, Rocio Sanchez, El Petete, Juan de Juan… they went out to dance at the cante from Segundo Falcón, El Galli, Manuel de Gines, El Extremeño… accompanied on the stage by a multitude of colleagues, friends and flamencoThey showed their affection to Falcon with their presence.
Then there was a second half for the jartibles already in the festival bar, which we closed at six in the morning with moments of chatting, laughter, cante and dance in the ritual of the jondo, joy, and truth. That wasn't paid for. Nor was there money to buy it. It emerges and one takes it with them. Only the "oldies" remained, these three aces, enduring the revelry and wanting more. It's a shame there are few bujíos where they can lock themselves away until they feel like it or their bodies give out after two or three days. They still yearn for experiences. And are ready to offer them to the young. But they were already gone.
Credits
XLIV Festival of Cante Large Child Mattress
Constitution Park, El Viso del Alcor (Seville)
13th September 2025
Cante: Segundo Falcón, Antonio Reyes, Manuela Cordero, Sonia Miranda
Guitars: Paco Jarana, Paco León, Antonio Carrión, Álvaro Moreno
Dance: Juan de Juan
Cante: El Canito and David El Galli
Guitar: Paco Iglesias
Palmas: The Petete
Honorary Artists to the cante: Enrique El Extremeño, Cancanilla of Malaga, Nano of Jerez
Presenter: Manuel Curao
