On January 10th the Flamenco Festival was presented to the press at Madrid’s Corral de la Morería.
Miguel Marín, the director
of the Festival, and Paulino Plata, head of the Andalusian Department of
Tourism and Commerce, the main backer of this year’s edition, along
with many of the artists participating in the Flamenco Festival USA –
CANADA – LONDON 2006 presented the program to the media.
Blanca del Rey acted as hostess for the presentation at Corral de la
Morería, the tablao which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary.
José Antonio, Antonio El Pipa, Esperanza Fernández, Manuel
Liñan, Marco Flores, Olga Pericet, Merche Esmeralda, Adela Campallo
and Javier Barón were kind enough to pose for a photograph.
Miguel Marín emphasized the grandeur of flamenco and the universal
appreciation of this art form, as well as the intention that the Flamenco
Festival should serve as Andalucía’s best face for the rest
of the world, bringing the best flamenco shows to the world’s best
theaters such as Lincolh Center or City Center in New York, the Queen
Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver or el Sadler's Wells in London. He also
pointed out that each year millions of people visit Andalucía attracted
by its numerous tourist attractions, geography, monuments and gastronmony,
but always with an eye for flamenco.
Paulino Plata underlined the importance of the flamenco for Andalusian
tourism and the continuing initiatives of the Flamenco Festival throughout
different parts of the United States, Canada and England.
