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Blanca del Rey’s Farewell – The Queen of the Shawl Text: Pablo San Nicasio. Photographs Corral de la Moreria: Paco Manzano SAYING FAREWELL Blanca Ávila Moreno has always been one of flamenco best bets. This lady from Córdoba, of impeccable artistic background and longevity, is one of those two or three people you can turn to for advice beyond merely artistic matters. In any of her interviews you can find statements with enough wisdom to become maxims. Blanca del Rey has been a success with artists and non-artists alike, friend of the stage and of her friends, and perhaps that says it all. And the time has come for her to say her goodbye. Because that’s what she herself has decided. Blanca del Rey continues to be in great condition, physically and flamenco-wise. This was evident the night of August 4th in her tablao, the one that has made her name, with a business of her own, like the great Silverio in his day. The legendary Corral de la Morería lit up the Madrid night, as it has done for so many years, with the art of a superb dancer who has decided to wrap up her exemplary stage career. Surrounded by her people, family, friends great and small, and the complete group of artists of the Corral, “Blanca del Rey” brought tears to many eyes with her excellent dance of alegrías, and the sublime “Soleá del Mantón” in which every single pose looks like an image taken from a canvass of Julio Romero de Torres. It was a historic evening in which the dancer made a big effort not to cry “to be able to speak and to express thanks to so many people for so many things”, but Blanca was overcome with emotion, and many of the rest of us as well. She remembered her husband, always in the atmosphere and in her mind, the person who “was the light that illuminated the Corral”. And her children, and the whole cuadro flamenco headed by Miguel Téllez. She had words for flamencologist Romualdo Molina “who has done so much for flamenco”. One way or another, Blanca del Rey mentioned each and every one of those present: journalists as well as her workers whom she tearfully thanked. A stirring evening in which the cuadro was noteworthy with guajiras, and the flamenco landscape painted by guitarist Felipe Maya por taranta. It was all wrapped up with a closing fiesta of bulerías and sevillanas in which Blanca’s brother Antonio was convinced to join his sister on stage to dance with her. This was the first part of long farewell that continued the following day in La Unión. The dancer put the icing on the cake at the Cathedral of Cante when, on a bill shared with Tomatito, she again got a standing ovation with her shawl dance in a knock-down-drag-out finish that garnered ten minutes of applause. Another historic day for an immortal dancer. A grand goodbye in one of the most representative venues of flamenco. These two final performances mark the beginning of a new era for Blanca del Rey, who from now on assumes the job of artistic director of the Corral de la Morería. Long live Doña Blanca. Click to enlarge photos Photo Gallery – Festival Cante de las Minas – 8th august 2011. by Rafael Manjavacas
Photo Gallery – Corral de la Moreria – 4th august 2011. Photos Paco Manzano
Videos – Festival Cante de las Minas – 8th august 2011. Rafael Manjavacas |
