Spain’s Academia de la Músic awards Carmen Linares 'Premio a Toda una Vida'

The gala awards ceremony which will be dedicated to flamenco, is scheduled to take place May 18th at Madrid’s Teatro Arteria Coliseum.

On that day, the Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias de la Música will present the award “Premio a Toda una Vida” to Carmen Linares.

This prize is given in recognition of a long, intense and varied career, the undeniable command of Carmen Linares, her professional bravery in that she was committed to the art and in continual evolution, aware of the sounds around her and ready to take a chance, always from a stance of quality in a wide range of areas, and her importance in women’s role in flamenco.

In this way, the Academia has chosen to highlight an artistic career with the most noteworthy merits to receive the Premio a Toda Una Vida within the 15th edition of the Premios de la Música.

Her singing, sincere and decisive, the result of a profound knowledge of flamenco, manages to transmit the emotion of true cante.  Without a doubt, flamenco has grown with her contribution.

The prize is recognition of an artist who clearly deserves the gratitude and applause of the entire musical community, the general public, professionals and media.

Other performers such as Chavela Vargas, Rocío Dúrcal, Pedro Iturralde and Peret were honored with this prize in previous editions of the Premios de la Música.

According to the singer, “it’s very exciting to receive a prize for lifetime achievment.  I love flamenco deeply, and have always been at its service.  And when a prize like this comes from your professional colleagues, it’s even more moving”.

For the first time in its fifteen editions, the Academia will devote the gala to flamenco.  According to Carmen Linares, “a very important part of my life has been devoted to music.  It gave me a lot, just as I did to it.  For me, the fact that the Academia will devote the gala to flamenco for the first time, fills me with pride.  And that this art-form has been declared a World Cultural Heritage, was joyful news, because even though we all knew it already was, its importance has now been made official.

Source: SGAE