The Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla is dressed in a tuxedo for its 16th edition, with which it turns 30 years old. There will be a total of 55 shows, of which 26 are world premiers. A date that all flamenco enthusiasts await anxiously, as the festival is celebrated only every couple of years.

From September 15 to October 9, the echoes of flamenco song will invade the city in the form of Estrella Morente’s new record, Farruquito’s choreographies, and Isabel Bayón and Rafaela Carrasco’s performance of José Antonio Ruiz’s particular interpretation of Dante’s Divine Comedy.

An excellent combination of classic artists, such as Paco de Lucia, who returns to this event, in which he hasn’t participated since 2004, who will be in charge of adding an avant-garde effect to the Bienal, just like the shows presented by the singer Remedios Amaya and the rapper Mala Rodríguez.

Miguel Poveda is responsible for opening this edition of the Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla, under the slogan ‘Flamenco de viva voz’ on September 15 and that will be divided into six cycles: Al son de las estrellas (To the sound of stars), Flamenco para niños (Flamenco for children), El flamenco que viene (Upcoming Flamenco, Clásicos del siglo XXI (Classics of the XXI Century), Flamenco y otras aves (Flamenco and other birds), Lo jondo del flamenco.

Camarón de la Isla

His thin frame, pale skin and light colored hair made him worthy of the nickname Camarón (shrimp). José Monge Cruz, born in San Fernando, in the province of Cádiz, was born to become a living flamenco legend thanks to a powerful voice that made up for his apparently fragile physique.

As a child his singing was heard in the streets of Cádiz, especially in the Venta de Vargas, where the best known flamencos, Lola Flores, Juanito Valderrama and Manolo Caracol, performed. There, amongst shrimp omelets and fish from the Bay, the singer from San Fernando grew as an artist, working side by side with important musicians and dancers of the day and earning his room and board at the same time.

Orphaned by age seven, the need to work was compensated with a talent for singing, and at the age of 12, he is awarded First Prize at the Flamenco Contest at the Montilla Festival (Córdoba). From that moment on, his fame begins to spread, and in 1966, his professional career begins in the companies of flamencos such as Dolores Vargas, Miguel de los Reyes and Juanito Valderrama, with whom he tours America and Europe. The young Camarón tours the world and decides to settle in Madrid, but not before to receiving awards such as the first prize at the Festival del Cante Jondo de Mairena del Alcor in 1966.

Although everyone who received an award at the XIV edition of the Music Awards held last night at the Häagen-Dazs Calderón Theatre in Madrid is fortunate, flamenco artists were even more so. Miguel Poveda’s name was called twice, as the singer from Badalona picked up an award for Best Album and Best Spanish Song Album for his latest work ‘Coplas del Querer.’

The naming Poveda’s recording Best Album regardless of category is an implicit acknowledgement of flamenco and traditional music. On top of receiving these two awards, Poveda’s work was also distinguishd with the Best Arrangement award going to Joan Albert Amargós...