{"id":16027,"date":"2019-10-25T13:13:11","date_gmt":"2019-10-25T11:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expoflamenco.com\/archivo\/?p=16027"},"modified":"2019-10-25T13:13:11","modified_gmt":"2019-10-25T11:13:11","slug":"ten-years-without-bernarda-de-utrera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expoflamenco.com\/archivo\/en\/estela-flamenca\/ten-years-without-bernarda-de-utrera\/","title":{"rendered":"Ten years without Bernarda de Utrera"},"content":{"rendered":"

On May 7th<\/sup>, 2005, I was in Utrera and saw Bernarda weep when she touched the newly unveiled monument to herself and her sister.\u00a0 <\/span>Fernanda, ill, was unable to attend the inauguration ceremony.\u00a0<\/span>A few years later, both singers were gone.<\/p>\n

Bernarda Jim\u00e9nez Pe\u00f1a, Bernarda de Utrera<\/strong> (1927-2009) died ten years ago this month.\u00a0<\/span>Idly rereading some articles I wrote at the time, is a potent reminder of how important this loss has been.\u00a0<\/span>So few traditional singers left.\u00a0<\/span>Each time we lose someone, the obligatory phrase is: \u201cthe end of an era\u201d.\u00a0<\/span>And it\u2019s true.\u00a0<\/span>An era ended with Bernarda\u2019s passing, just as it did with her sister Fernanda<\/strong>\u2019s only three years earlier.\u00a0<\/span>And as it did when we lost Agujetas, Manuel Moneo, Lebrijano, Fernando Terremoto, Chocolate, Chano, Torta, Perrate, Paquera<\/strong>\u2026 and many dozens more who were suddenly absent, leaving only electronic representations, sad shadows of their big personalities to recall the enriching moments they delivered over decades.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The popular lyrical singer Gracia Montes<\/strong>, also present at the unveiling of the monument, had this to say: \u201cBernarda is unique, there won\u2019t be another like her.\u00a0<\/span>She stands your hair on end.\u00a0<\/span>High art of the kind that no longer exists\u201d.<\/p>\n

Artistically anchored in the compact flamenco cosmos of Utrera-Lebrija with its unmistakable flavor, and contrary to what many people think, Bernarda was a complete singer who had a command of the most classic repertoire.\u00a0<\/span>But certainly she worked magic with buler\u00edas cupl\u00e9<\/i>, popular songs adapted to flamenco. Rather than diluting the intensity as so often happens when other singers diverge from short-form buler\u00edas to interpret cupl\u00e9, Bernarda managed to escalate the emotion with her delivery full of mystery, and barely concealed angst. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the greatest buler\u00edas cupl\u00e9s ever recorded is her versi\u00f3n of\u00a0 <\/span>Roberto Ledesma<\/strong>\u2019s song, Con mi Coraz\u00f3n te Espero<\/i>.\u00a0 <\/span>Bernarda\u2019s genius turns a saccharine bolero (no offense intended) into a bone-crushing piece. You\u2019re just sitting there innocently listening to music, when her voice suddenly seems to be ripping your skin off\u00a0 <\/span>and there you are, helplessly contemplating the unbearable human cycle of life and death, love and unlove.\u00a0<\/span>And you thought buler\u00eda cupl\u00e9 was just a frivolous party song.<\/p>\n

Okay, I\u2019m a confessed buler\u00eda junkie, but can anyone really resist this sizzling hot piece?<\/p>\n

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