Cante de las Minas gets underway with Luis del Olmo's speech

Journalist Luis del Olmo opened the 54th edition of the festival. Cathedral of Cante Prize for India. Winners' Gala performance with Jeromo Segura, Eduardo Guerrero and Pepe Bao.

Special Report 54th Festival Internacional del Cante de las Minas

Earlier in La Union's Town Hall, the first edition of «Cante de las Minas in Japan» was presented with the presence of the Japanese Ambassador to Spain.  The festival will be held in Tokyo on August 22th, 23th and 24th.
The «Pencho Cros» awards were presented amid a lot of excitement, especially due to the presence of Chef José Rodríguez «El Bohio» and presenter on TV's «Master Chef», who received the «Gastronomy» award. Cordoba fashion designer Juana Martin, received the «Stylistic Arts» award, the «Fine Arts» award was for photographers Toni White and Virginia Rosique. The «Journalism» prize went to the news program of TVE and the «Discography» award was for singer Jeromo Segura for his newly released album “La Voz de la Mina, Antología de los Cantes Mineros” later presented at the La Unión Market.

Other winners were the Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM) for «Patronage», the festivals 'La Mar de Músicas' and 'Lo Ferro' for «Promotion of Music» and researchers José Luis Navarro, Akio Lino and Francisco Ortega Castejón for their books about flamenco and the Cante de las Minas.

And at the Market of La Union, Luis del Olmo, keynote speaker for this year's edition, began the event indicating that 39 years ago he was 'Heraldo in La Union' extolling' the mines and its people, and El Bierzo where he was born. «God gave me the voice of an announcer, not the throat of a singer», and he was right, we do not know what might have happened otherwise.

Guitar, voice, emotion
inspiration, discipline
dance, «duende», heart
Long live the Cante de las Minas
and the Festival of La Unión

Afterwards, the mayor of La Union, Francisco Bernabé awarded the «Catedral del Cante» prize to Mr Sunil Lal, ambassador from India in Spain, for that country's work in the preservation, promotion and dissemination of flamenco.. Bernabé announced that in the fall, through the Las Minas Flamenco Tour, the La Unión festival will travel in search of the roots of flamenco in Mumbai and New Delhi.  For his part, the Ambassador of India spoke of the brilliant guitarist Paco de Lucía and the terrible loss of his passing.

Apart from prizes, awards and speeches, it was an occasion for last year's winners, the Desplante prize, Eduardo Guerrero, Lámpara Minera 2013 Jeromo Segura and Filón winner, Pepe Bao.

Eduardo Guerrero got the audience to their feet at the Cathedral of Cante with caña, bulerías, tonás and siguiriyas, with the singing accompaniment of Gabriel de la Tomasa and Antonio Fernández and the guitar of Javier Ibáñez.

Singer Jeromo Segura gave a recital of local mining songs in addition to cantiñas and tangos, showing his admiration for the Cros and Fernández families, accompanied by Rosendo Fernández and Jesús Guerrero on guitar.

Lastly, bass-player Pepe Bao, surprised everyone with his fusion of styles with versions of taranta, tanguillo, bulerías and mineras, accompanied by guitarist Santi Campillo.

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Pregón Luis del Olmo