Category: culture

Bienal de Flamenco 2012

azahar4 Comments

The Bienal de Flamenco has (finally!) announced their 2012 programme.

The Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla has been going strong since 1980. It is an internationally renowned music festival that features the some of the finest flamenco performers in the world and takes place in all types of venues throughout town, from small local peñas to the magnificent Maestranza Theatre. The theme of the 2012 edition will be “De Cuerpo y Alma” (From Body and Soul). Tickets go on sale (on line) June 1st.

It’s been a long while since I’ve attended this fabulous event. Last time was eight years ago (!!) when I saw the incomparable Paco de Lucía. Think it’s time to go again…

Bienal de Flamenco 2012
3rd – 30th September

Bienal de Flamenco Website
Bienal 2012 Programme

Impromptu Processions

azahar4 Comments

José de la Montaña 

Even after having lived in Sevilla for almost 19 years I am still taken by surprise by “impromptu” processions popping up here and there. Of course they aren’t impromptu at all, it just seems that way. Though I’m not alone in not knowing what’s going on. The other night on the way to pick up clients for a Sevilla Tapas Tour I came across this procession. None of the people I asked knew which one it was so during a stop I decided to ask some band members … and even they didn’t know!! Finally someone at a nearby bar filled me in and when I got home I looked up “José de la Montaña” on google, which led to me finding the ArteSacro website that lists what is going on in Sevilla procession-wise. It may or may not come as a surprise that there seem to be processions almost daily. Now I need never be caught out again! I can just check ArteSacro before going out and impress clients and friends with my vasty knowledge of obscure Sevilla cultural events.  🙂

ArteSacro.org

Rained out…

azahar1 Comment

[click on image to enlarge]

Things have been very quiet around here Semana Santa-wise. After months of scarcely any rainfall it’s pretty much been coming down non-stop since Palm Sunday. Tomorrow it looks like it may lift for about 24 hours before starting up again on Friday.

Above are some pics I took on Monday evening. It was quite sad to see everything deserted and the odd nazareno – like that young boy – making his disconsolate way home after his procession was cancelled.

On the right are a couple of rogue nazarenos I saw yesterday, making their way over to their church. But about an hour later the skies really opened up. Me? I was all cosy at home in PJs watching a film on DVD with my flatmate and the cats, as I will be again this evening. But tomorrow I have a tapas tour – I don’t know what I was thinking! Oh right, about paying the rent 😉 … but in fact I do love a challenge and so it should be an interesting night.

It’s actually been a few years since I’ve gone out following the processions and looking for the best vantage points. But I do love Semana Santa and the general upheaval and chaos. I don’t even mind the inconvenience of shops being closed or not being able to get out and about because of the crowds. I guess a part of me enjoys how this crazy week really shakes things up. And in spite of loving my “new” home I still miss hearing La Madrugá played below my bedroom balcony on Martes Santo… so glad now I got up to film that video as it was my last time.

Oh, and this is also the first time in my 19 years here that the orange blossom (azahar) has coincided with Semana Santa. It also seems to be lasting a bit longer this year. Heaven.