La Provincial Council of Seville The first edition of Festival Flamenco Duende, a program designed to place the flamenco at the heart of the province's cultural life and to ensure that this intangible heritage reaches the municipalities directly. For six weeks, from October 16 to November 28, the festival brought top-level performances to 15 public venuesachieving a total attendance of more 4.000 peopleThis figure includes both physical and online sales and has been boosted by the six sold-out shows in different municipalities, a clear indicator of the excellent reception of this new cultural initiative.
Duende was born with the desire to reinforce the presence of flamenco in the province of Seville, democratizing access to this art form and bringing major productions to municipal theaters that, in many cases, do not usually host events of this scale. The first edition has brought together María Terremoto, José Mercé, Israel Fernández, Rafael de Utrera, José Valencia, Argentina, Farruquito, Manuel Liñán y Miguel Poveda, renowned artists representing different generations and styles, from the cante from the most traditional to contemporary dance proposals.
The public response has been particularly noteworthy in several municipalities where the venue was filled to capacity. Among them, the following stood out: Bollullos de la Mitación with José Mercé, one of the big names of cante flamenco of recent decades. A full house was also recorded in Alcalá de Guadaíra with Israel Fernández, one of the essential voices of flamenco current. In Lebrija, the creative force of Manuel Linan It led to a packed house at the Juan Bernabé Theatre. One of the most significant moments of the series was the performance of Miguel Poveda in La RinconadaTickets for the concert sold out very quickly after online sales opened, reflecting the extraordinary anticipation generated by the artist in the province.
Likewise, Argentina filled the theater Morón de la Frontera with a particularly warm welcome, and Farruquito It starred in one of the most intense nights of the cycle by hanging the "no tickets available" sign in Dos Hermanas.
«The Festival Flamenco Duende has created a diverse and vibrant map of flamenco in the province of Seville. Each performance has contributed to strengthening the role of municipal theaters as local cultural spaces that encourage citizen participation."
Beyond these milestones, the program has allowed us to enjoy a wide variety of offerings. Maria Terremoto She opened the edition in Utrera with a recital that showcased the power of one of the most promising young voices on the current scene. Rafael de UtreraWith its cante Elegant and expressive, he took his proposal to Sanlúcar la Mayor and El Viso del Alcor. Meanwhile, Jose Valencia he presented My path in Osuna and Mairena del Aljarafe, reaffirming why he is one of the most respected flamenco singers among fans and a benchmark of the cante root.
The festival Flamenco Duende has thus woven a cultural route that has connected municipalities such as Utrera, Bollullos de la Mitación, Marinaleda, Marchena, Tomares, Alcalá de Guadaíra, Osuna, Sanlúcar la Mayor, Lebrija, El Viso del Alcor, Mairena del Alcor, La Rinconada, Morón de la Frontera, Dos Hermanas and Mairena del Aljarafe, configuring a plural and living map of the flamenco in the province. Each performance has contributed to strengthening the role of municipal theaters as local cultural spaces for citizen participation.
In this context, the commitment of the Seville Provincial Council to strengthen the cultural fabric flamenco The province's achievements are once again confirmed by the recognition of specialized entities. Proof of this is the recent award of the Golden Snail of the 61st Lebrijana Snail Festival, which distinguishes the provincial institution for its continued support of the Lebrija festival and for its involvement in the preservation, dissemination and promotion of flamenco throughout the territory. An award that underlines the consistency of this line of work and that naturally accompanies the success of the first edition of Duende.
With this first edition, the Seville Provincial Council reaffirms its commitment to a program designed to be ongoing and to become a permanent fixture on the provincial cultural calendar. The audience success and the quality of the lineup validate this initiative, which is destined to continue growing and expanding its reach. flamenco to more municipalities and continue promoting cultural life throughout the province.
