It's hot in Roldán. Too hot in this hamlet of pacheco towerTorre Pacheco, a municipality near the Mar Menor in southeastern Spain, has always been known for its fertile fields, melon fields, and vegetables. However, it is also a town near the Mar Menor lagoon in southeastern Spain. unfairly known for the past year for racist conflicts caused by strangers And neither the local population nor the large migrant population, especially from North Africa, who have worked in agriculture, services, or run small businesses like butcher shops, hair salons, or cafes for many years, were to blame. Both groups understand the need for peaceful coexistence and strive to live together peacefully.
And then there is Lo Ferro, a neighborhood or hamlet on the outskirts of Roldán, where for 46 years one of the most important competitions and festivals on the Spanish summer music scene has been held. Lo Ferro, with no more than 300 inhabitants, boasts its long-established festival jondoIt has always been a long week that has attracted large audiences and has proven charming with its open-air auditorium, where a sea breeze, somewhere between marine and rural, offers respite from the day's heat. But in recent years, the festival has taken a smart turn, opening itself up to tangential aspects of flamenco culture. And more importantly, it has broadened its audience, reaching non-traditional sectors such as intellectuals, writers, and especially young people. This year, with a new director, the journalist and teacher Gabriel Maldonado RufeteHowever, a further step has been taken in that direction, and the director's opening lines demonstrate this.
"In recent years the festival has undergone a smart transformation, opening itself up to tangential aspects of flamenco culture. And more importantly, it has broadened its audience, reaching non-traditional sectors such as intellectuals, writers, and especially young people."
One thing the festival has managed to do is foster a renewed connection between artists and fans, encouraging the former to stay long after their performance. Thus, on Tuesday morning, a beautiful tribute was held at the theater. Sebastian Escudero (mythical founder of the contest, now deceased) to the flamenco singer Phosphorite, in which an interview was shown between The Pele and the Cordoban flamenco singer, recently recorded by his son. Afterwards, Pele himself, present in the hall, had an interesting live conversation with the festival director. The event was closed by the journalist and writer José María Velázquez-Gaztelu, who recalled some words from the master through the interviews he had with him over the years, which moved everyone, including his widow, Maribel.
The opening speech was on Monday, given this year by the journalist Aurea Lorenzo, accompanied by none other than the piano of DorantsDouble luxury. The International Festival of Cante Flamenco from Lo Ferro It moves forward with heat, but the heat isn't just terribly climatic. It's also the heat of good flamenco. ♦
