For
the fourth consecutive year Seville’s Palacio de Congresos was the
scene of the Feria Mundial del Flamenco, an unprecedented flamenco trade
fair that brings together every imaginable sort of commercial interest
involved in flamenco, from performers, agents, programmers, producers
and record companies, to makers of accessories, guitars, castanets, cajones,
any article at all related to flamenco cante, guitar and dance.
An ample program of activities filled the days with record and DVD presentations
such as those of Antonio el Pipa, Manuel de Angustias or Angel Pastor the
grandson of Manuel Agujetas, and of books such as «Cristina Hoyos.
Un sendero para la gloria» by Manuel Martín Martín
and «Cantes de Triana» by Pepa Sánchez, daughter of
the late singer Naranjito de Triana. On Friday the ambitious project of
the Ciudad del Flamenco of Jerez was presented with the noteworthy participation
of José Mercé, Fernando de la Morena, Capullo de Jerez and
Angelita Gómez.
Visitors could also attend demonstrations of percussion, the use of the
shawl as shown by Manuela Carrasco and of the bata de cola as demonstrated
by Milagros Menjíbar. Turismo Andaluz offered an interactive flamenco
class and various towns and organizations such as Lebrija, San Fernando,
el Arahal, la Peña Melón de Oro and the Festival de la Mistela
among many others presented live shows with noteworthy local artists.
The Fundación el Monte presented its extensive concert program
for the 2004-2005 season which begins October 14th and continues through
to May 19th of next year.
It’s estimated that some twelve thousand people visited the fair
over the four-day period, fewer than the projected fifteen-thousand, due
mostly to Seville’s Bienal de Flamenco which continues to capture
the interest of a great number of flamenco fans who came to the capital
of Andalusia for this grand event that turns Seville into the epicentre
of the flamenco world this warm autumn.
Deflamenco was present at the fair and we would like to thank all those fans and admirers who
stopped by our stand to say hello. The following are some images of these
four heady days:
