Flamenco heavyweights head to Torremolinos for new winter festival
The event will bring together established artists, including Capullo de Jerez and Dolores Agujetas
Torremolinos will host the first Winter Flamenco Festival at the Principe de Asturias municipal auditorium on Friday 29 December. The Costa del Sol town has been holding its summer flamenco festival in August for more than 30 years, and this new event has been organised as part of the festive season's cultural agenda.
The gathering will present the orthodox styles of flamenco song, although due to the time of year, the performers will also offer zambombas and villancicos, typical Christmas songs with flamenco-style rhythms.
The festival will bring together established artists from Jerez de la Frontera, considered to be the cradle of flamenco song, including Capullo de Jerez and Dolores Agujetas.
Capullo de Jerez is one of today's top cantaores (singer of flamenco), performing at festivals and clubs all over Spain. Born in the Gypsy neighbourhood of Santiago in 1954, he stands out for his flamenco rumbas, tangos and bulerías, which are full of driving rhythms and cutting guitar falsettos so typical of his hometown. He also excels in the fandangos, and martinetes, one of the oldest, unaccompanied styles of flamenco song.
The son of Isabel La Moza, Capullo learned his art from legendary singers like Fernando Terromoto, Tio Borrico and La Paquera, three of the most inspirational singers in the history of the art.
Dolores Agujetas is a celebrated singer revered for her voz afilla, a cracked, copper-toned voice that defines the very essence of the Gypsy flamenco. She was born into a dynasty of illustrious singers, which includes her father Manuel Agujetas and grandfather Agujetas Viejo.
She began her professional career in Jerez in 1991, and has since gone on to perform at coveted festivals in various places around the world such as Japan, Holland, France, Germany and Belgium.
Other singers on the line-up include Pedro El Granaíno, who, as his name suggests, is from Granada; Antonio Reyes, from Chiclana de la Frontera; and Ezequiel Benítez, a singer also born in the Santiago district of Jerez.
Tickets for the festival, which starts at 9.30pm, cost 25 euros (zone one) and 30 euros (zone two) in advance, or 30 and 35 euros on the night. Tickets can be obtained from Vinoteca La Fuente (Torremolinos), or on www.mientrada.net
