Presentation of the 44th Festival de Cante de la Minas de La Unión.

María Martínez, vice-president of the Festival and member of La Unión's governing board, along with Enrique Morente, was in charge of carrying out the Festival's presentation. Enrique Morente will present ‘Minerico', a work being prepared for the Festival and which will include a recital of classic flamenco inspired in taranta, minera, etc… dedicated to the world of the mines. In addition to the important contests of cante, guitar and dance, five gala performances are scheduled with the best of current flamenco: Pansequito, Aurora Vargas, Farruquito, Vicente Amio, Capullo de Jerez, Carmen Linares, El Güito, El Lebrijano, Sara Baras and of course Enrique Morente.

This year's poster was designed by Guillermo Pérez Villalta and the inaugural speech will be given by poet Felipe Benítez Reyes on August 5 th . In addition to the magnificent contest program, a number of parallel activities are scheduled to take place during the festival: conferences, book presentations, exhibitions and workshops, the latter to be organized by the Cristina Heeren Foundation of Sevilla. Although the workshops have been completely programmed the final details are not yet available.

This year the cash prizes are 9000 Euros for the highest prize, the Lámpara Minera, 5400 Euros for the dance prize, El Desplante and 3600 for the guitar prize, the Bordón Minero. The finals are to be celebrated on August 11, 12,13 and 14. Over a hundred artists singed up for the selective process which is to be carried out, as in previous years, in various cities throughout Spain during the months of May, June and July.

PROGRAM.

10:45pm – CATEDRAL DEL CANTE (Former public market).

Reviews XLIII edition August 2003