Sunday, May 20th 2001. One spring afternoon announced the coming of summer and the end of Madrid's fiestas de San Isidro. Las Vistillas park offered a feast of color which filled the sky with a spectacular sunset from the park's privileged position. Paquera de Jerez went up on stage with Parrilla and both were received with a grand ovation, mostly from a large group of Japanese who had come hours earlier to occupy the first rows. Alongside the stage, El Corral de la Morería, the place which was synonymous with the singer's early Madrid triumphs back when she was a young woman of 23. With the sound of bulería filling the air, this member of the royal family of bulería singers moved every soul present with the impossible sound of her voice.
This
is but a brief recollection of one of countless similar scenes where Paquera
was enthusiasically recieved by her diehard fans. Fans who could just
as soon be in the plaza of any Spanish town or elegant theater abroad,
because the art of Doña Francisca Méndez crossed all frontiers.
She was born in 1934 in the Jerez neighborhood of San Miguel to family
of merchants. It didn't take long before the resounding success at the
Madrid tablao in 1957 would lead to the first tours of Spain with flamenco
artists such as Farruco, Chocolate or Rafael Farina. After headlining
with the latter in 1965, came lengthy contracts in Seville's Los Gallos
as well as Manolo Caracol's Madrid tablao Los Canasteros. In 1971 she
won the Niña de los Peines prize at the Córdoba's National
Contest. By this time Paquera had become a top-flight artist who appeared
at every important festival and other flamenco events.
Photo: Carlos Arbelos
In more recent times the singer received numerous honors and awards and
she was soon to receive the gold medall of Bellas Artes from the hands
of Spain's king Juan Carlos I. Just two years ago she toured Japan for
the first time and filled theaters with enthusiastic crowds. This last
week of April 2004 Paquera was officially declared «Favorite Daughter
of Jerez de la Frontera», but it was hardly necessary since the sentiment
was already felt by all. Francisco will never again fill the bullring
with thousands of followers, but her memory will always be present in
flamenco gatherings in Jerez, a town that is in mourning for their legendary
singer.
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