On the afternoon of Wednesday, May 21, The Heads of San Juan (Seville) kicked off its long-awaited festival flamencoA festival that has been reborn in recent years, experiencing new times of splendor, as it did in the past, becoming one of the leading events in the province.
It was in the Rincón Malillo, with the presence of Pepe Solano, mayor of the municipality, Africa Castro, Culture delegate of the Cabez city council, the author of the poster Manuel Cordones y Alfonso Garcia, who outlined the full program, which you can find below in the brochure designed by the organizers to promote the event. The mayor and the poster artist unveiled the work, and the latter explained the details of its creation, which we will detail in another article.
This year, the Yerbabuena de Plata award goes to the renowned and much-missed critic and flamencologist Miguel Acal, one of the founders of the festival along with Pedro de Miguel, Juan Peña The Lebrijano, Juan Bernabé Britto y Paco CottoHe did not yet have this distinction to his name and will receive it posthumously in the presence of his lovely wife. Nandi, visibly moved and proud on a very special day because her husband would still be celebrating his 80th birthday –as he liked– if the dark one had not snatched him away from him with foul tricks when he was only 57 years old back in 2002.
The presentation was sealed with the cante from Utrera Mari Peña, accompanied on the guitar by her husband Antonio Moya or palmas by Antonio Carrasco y José Carrasco. Despite having pharyngitis and taking medication to be able to go on stage, she didn't even mention it. She went through double fatigue putting together the romances, but she thrived in the rest of the palos, embroidering the tientos tangos with their particular swings, making filigrees in the cantiñas of Pinini, sung as they should be sung, flirting with the times, cadences and silences in time, rolling up their sleeves in the brave and rancid soleá that is used in Utrera by those who know how to crown the night with bulerías, remembering Fernanda and Bernarda, Gaspar o The Nougat Maker, among many others, showing off a touch of gypsy spirit to the accompaniment of a wise and jonda guitar that carried her on its wings during the recital in the heat of the palmas Lebrija.
La Yerbabuena Festival
On Friday, July 4, Las Cabezas de San Juan will experience a new magical night with Aurora Vargas, Rancapino Chico, Concha Vargas and Juan de ClementeThe City Council continues with its commitment to surround the festival with conference days and the inauguration of a Plaza in honor of Pedro de Miguel.
The poster, work of the young local artist Manuel Ignacio Cordones Tercero, symbolizes the legacy of Miguel Acal in the world of flamenco, combining innovation and tradition. Cordones, renowned for his creativity in painting and tattoo design, captured the essence of the honoree, reflecting his commitment to this universal art form. “For me, it's a unique experience and a personal and professional challenge. I wanted to pay tribute to Miguel in a multitude of details of the work. To do so, I researched his personality and legacy with people who knew him well,” noted the artist, whose work was greeted with a standing ovation from the hundreds of attendees.
“Yerbabuena is one of our city's great landmarks outside our borders. That's why we work year-round. With this tribute to Miguel Acal, we seal our commitment to recognize all the people who started this festival, and we hope that wherever they are, they look up to this hill in Seville with the pride of knowing we follow in their footsteps,” commented Mayor Pepe Solano.
The Culture delegate also had words to pay tribute to Miguel, beginning her speech with a phrase the journalist used to start his programs "Salud y Libertad." Castro thanked the Culture delegation, the collaborators, and Teresa Peña and Alfonso García, as well as the delegations involved in the production of La Yerbabuena.”
Program of the XXXIV La Yerbabuena Festival
The festival, which will be held from 29 from June to 4 from July, includes a series of events that promise intense emotions and high artistic quality:
Dominican 29 June:
Jesus Mendez will present the best cantes of Jerez at the Municipal Theater of Las Cabezas de San Juan at 21:00 p.m. Admission: 5 euros.
Tuesday July 1:
Conference “The voices that did not remain silent”, By Juan PinillaOn flamenco and politically committed artists. Performance of the Cabeceña Dance Association Flamenco by Diego Guijo. Location: Rincón Malillo, 20:30 p.m. Free admission.
Wednesday 2 of July:
Conference “Miguel Acal: The radio and the flamenco"Directed by Ildefonso Vergara, with the participation of the Escuela de Baile Flamenco by Sandra Vílchez. Location: Rincón Malillo, 20:30 p.m. Free admission.
Jueves 3 July:
Opening of the “Pedro de Miguel Hermida” Square and thematic table “The root of the Festival Flamenco from La Yerbabuena”Directed by Alfonso Garcia y Tere Peña. Performances of the Group Flamenco from the Municipal Music School y Pepe de Perico al cante, with Juan Carrasco on the guitar. Location: La Hierbabuena neighborhood, 20:30 p.m. Free admission.
Friday July 4:
Festival Night with the actions of Aurora Vargas, Rancapino Chico, Concha Vargas and the show “From the pure to the purest” directed by John of Clement. A new night of duende promises to be an unforgettable evening. Location: Plaza Sant'Eusta Christ of the True Cross, 21:30 p.m. Admission: 10 euros.
The festival Flamenco La Yerbabuena was founded by a group of friends, artists and lovers of this universal art, among whom were Pedro de Miguel, Juan Peña El Lebrijano, Juan Bernabe Brito, Paco Coto and Miguel Acal. Its origins date back to 1969 and later it was configured as a relevant artistic manifestation on a night of cante el June 24th, 1970Its success led critics to place it among the most prestigious festivals.
Throughout all the editions, many artists of different kinds have passed through the festival stage, and many others have been honored with the famous Yerbabuena de Plata award, among them: José María Pemán, Juan Peña Lebrijano, Rocío Jurado, Victorio y Lucchino, José Mercé and many more.
