The 36^th Festival de Arte Flamenco de Cataluña will take place between May 3^rd and June 7^th, 2019 in Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona. The cantaores Rafael de Utrera and Lela Soto will take part in this event, among many others. This festival, organized by the Coordinadora de Entidades Flamencas y Andaluzas de Cornellà de Llobregat, is a multifaceted event which includes all aspects and aesthetics of arte flamenco.

The Festival will open on May 3rd at Cornellà’s Central Library with Francisco Hidalgo‘s show De orilla a orilla (‘From shore to shore’), which will have the collaboration of the Asociación de Poetas de Cornellà. On Saturday, May 4^th, at the San Ildefonso Auditorium, Lela Soto, winner of the 2017 Talento Flamenco contest, will delight us with her voice, joined by Manuel Parrilla‘s guitar. Soon after we’ll be able to listen to Rafael de Utrera — renowned cantaor who has collaborated with José Mercé, Enrique Morente and Niña Pastori — together with Jesús Guerrero‘s guitar.

On Friday, May 10^th, Cornellà’s Peña Andaluza Los Aficionados will host Segundo Falcón ‘s voice and Manolo Franco’s guitar. On May 11^th and May 18^th, Saturdays, the teacher and bailaora Aina Núñez will give all-inclusive flamenco workshops for people with or without intellectual, visual or auditive disabilities. The purpose of these workshops is to enter the world of flamenco, with all its artistic and emotional charge, through its most representative styles, which at the same time are connected with the most basic emotions

On Saturday, May 11^th, Paco Montalvo will present Alma de violín flamenco (‘Soul of flamenco violin’) at Cornellà’s Auditorium. This young artist from Córdoba offers an innovative vision of violin’s behavior as the main voice of flamenco. When he was 18 years old, he became the youngest violinist to debut at the main stage of New York’s Carnegie Hall in the 21^st century. He creates versions of works by de Paco de Lucía, Falla, Sarasate, Granados, Tárrega or Albéniz. His works also include universal pieces, of his own creation or from popular flamenco.

Cornellà Castle

Cornellà Castle will open its doors on May 17^th for Toni Moñiz’s baile, David Pérez and Luis de la Fefa‘s cante, José Manuel Saucedo and Roger ‘Rocha’ Sabartes’ toque and Emilio Pérez‘s violin, in a show titled Noche Torre de La Miranda (‘Miranda’s Tower Evening’). On Saturday, May 18^th, at the San Ildefonso Auditorium, the cantaores David Palomar and Julián Estrada, joined by the guitars of Rafael Rodríguez and Manuel Silveria, will perform. Continuing with the program, on Friday, May 24^th, Francisco Escudero ‘Perrete’ will delight us with his voice at Cornellà’s Peña Los Aficionados, joined by Paco Heredia‘s guitar.

On Friday, May 31^st, Lole Montoya will present Inolvidable Sinatra (‘Unforgetable Sinatra’) at Plaza de la Iglesia. Joined only by piano arrangements or, as the festival’s program states, «by a soft veil of a jazz quartet floating over palos flamencos. Lole Montoya’s voice takes a new turn towards the intimacy of Frank Sinatra’s repertoire».

On Saturday, June 1st, the documentary Camarón: flamenco y revolución, nominated for the 2018 Goya Prizes in the category of best documentary, will be screened at Cornellà’s Central Library. On Sunday, June 2^nd, the different ensembles of baile of the Asociación Andaluza Hijos de Almáchar, Centro Andaluz Blas Infante de Cornellà, Asociación Cultural Andaluza Hijos de Paradas en Catalunya and Academia de baile flamenco Paca García will perform at the San Ildefonso square.

The 36th edition of the Festival de Arte Flamenco de Cataluña will conclude on Friday, June 7^th, when Rafael Fernández will present his new album Espiritual at Parque de Can Mercader. This artist from Cornellà has studied in great flamenco schools such as La Tani y El Toleo, Mónica Fernández, Amor de Dios and, for many years, at La Chana school. He will have the opportunity to show off in his own land, closing this festival.