It was mandatory to formally inaugurate the LXIV Festival of Cante Jondo Antonio MairenaAnd he was its mayor Juan Manuel López the person in charge of opening the event. The courtyard of the Palace of the Dukes of Arcos hosted the recital by the Moorish singer The Yippee, after a magnificent lecture by his fellow countryman Juan Diego Martín Cabeza, who spoke about the famous Francisco Moreno Galvan, and his conception of Renewal of tradition in the flamenco.
The mayor joined the recognitions that Moreno Galván has been receiving in the year of his centenary, and had the courtesy to express his condolences for the death of the brilliant guitarist. Diego from Moron and recalled that this year's Mairena Festival gala will be dedicated to the singer Nano from Jerez, as well as in the contest tribute will be paid to the Peña Flamenca The Soleá of Alcalá de Guadaíra, in addition to thanking the invaluable collaboration of the Andalusian Institute of Flamenco, the Antonio Mairena Art House, the Deputation of Sevilla and Junta de Andalucía. And that of the fans. He said goodbye hoping "that the spirit of Antonio Mairena guide us always.
«Yiya rocked her throat with snails playing a leva to reach the soleá, where the nut rang solemnly and she added a quarter and a half of reaños to a bouquet of canonically executed variations, saving something for the end. (…) And knowing what her forte is and that she was in the land of cabales, she fastened her lament through seguiriya with substance and poise.»
Juan Diego delved into the creative dimension of Francisco Moreno Galván in his role as a visual artist, a poet who renewed and expanded the literary heritage of the flamenco –almost always from a vindictive perspective–, in his work as a poster artist and graphic designer on album covers and even his forays into urban planning. Throughout all of this, he prioritizes creating new things with old tools, especially in art. jondoHe made clear his deep love for the flamenco and he punctuated his dissertation with private and unpublished recordings where we heard the artist sing, talk about Mairena or offer him the thirds made with his phrasing and lyrics to Shake.
The Yippee closed the night to cante, accompanied by the palmas discreet of Rocio Barranco y Juan José Ortega and with the sonanta pregnant with the jingle and neatness of Child Martin, who stole a few applauses from the audience with the flamenco quality of his falsetas. He tempered himself By force of heart by tientos tangos, with lyrics by Moreno Galván and the memory of Pastora y Joan of the Stir in the tangos. He continued to recall the echoes of the Pavones y The Girl with the Combs on the bambera with the capo at seven. Then he rocked his big throat for snails playing on cam to reach the soleá, where the nut was solemnly toned and added a quarter and a half of reaños to a bunch of canonically executed variants, saving something for the end. In bulerías he gave a good review from The Chinese of Malaga patient, Lorca or Mairena, with gusto and aplomb. And knowing his strengths and that he was in the land of the righteous, he delivered his lament through seguiriya with the poignancy and poise to which he has accustomed us. The man from Los Puertos locked his throat, and the audience acknowledged the recital with oohs and a standing ovation. Yiya was a delight. He brought a well-crafted and balanced repertoire, perhaps over-measured and without too many moments of ease—the responsibility weighs heavily—but he earned his due, revalidating himself in Mairena.
Credits
Opening of the LXIV Festival of Cante Jondo Antonio Mairena
Palace House of the Dukes of Arcos, Mairena del Alcor, Seville
1 September 2025
Cante: La Yiya
Guitar: Niño Martín
Palmas: Rocío Barranco and Juan José Ortega
Speaker: Juan Diego Martín Cabeza
