A portrait of Camilo Sesto and his double life
On one side stood Camilo Blanes; on the other, Camilo Sesto, the persona he created. The journalist Ramon Climent—born Alcoy in 1954—explores this duality in a work that moves beyond simple biography to become a chronology of a life lived in two forms. The book, edited by the Juan Gil-Albert Institute of Culture, examines the man and the myth with a clear eye for both light and shadow.
Climent, who presents the volume in Alcoy, places it in the Premium Bios collection and plans a release at the Calderón Theater next Thursday. After more than a year of research, he describes himself as a camilist who found Camilo’s story irresistible. The book is described as ambitious, aiming not merely to recount events but to offer a close, personal look at the person behind the stage name. He notes that Camilo’s love song repertoire is well known, yet how he loved and felt emotionally is less understood, revealing a life filled with contradictions and candid humanity.
There is no shortage of Camilo Sesto biographies, yet this work offers a fresh take. It positions itself as apocryphal in spirit, distinct from official or canonical versions, and roots its narrative in the experiences that shaped the artist. The author notes how shadows and light, triumphs and flaws, illuminate the Alcoyan singer’s career, presenting a spectrum that stretches from public glitter to private moments. A softcover edition with illustrations by Amparo Aleppo covers the full range of Camilo Sesto’s public and private life, emphasizing the local pride and cultural texture of Alcoy. The author believes that Camilo’s legacy has often been misread, and this volume seeks to correct that by presenting a nuanced portrait that resonates with local identity and universal appeal.
The presentation included remarks about the book’s approach, which relies on archival material gathered from the press and the author’s own commentary. The lone new element in the book is a public track from Camilo Sesto, The Anthem of Alcoyano, composed in 2003 and once tucked away due to a disagreement with a club. The volume captures the tension between the artist as public icon and the man with a sensitive, complex inner life.
Readers will find a portrait that alternates between Camilo Blanes and Camilo Sesto, offering a guided tour through the artist’s life. Friends and colleagues note that Camilo’s partner, singer Andrea Bronston, believed that the true person was not fully recognized because the public persona overshadowed him. The work thus invites readers to look beyond the mask to the person who lived behind it.
Julia Parra, a vice president for culture, emphasizes that Camilo Sesto is one of Alicante’s most internationally known natives and remains a high-interest figure in literary and cultural circles. The book joins the bibliographic collection of the Institute in a showcase of Alcoy’s cultural output, highlighting the city’s pride in its famous son.
To honor Camilo Sesto, the provincial authorities announced that the gala will align with the debut of a new broadcast on September 15. The plan is to move the cultural project forward with a major public tribute that includes music, free access, and advance ticketing. Alcoy’s mayor, Tony French, supports the celebration, noting Camilo’s global reach and his importance as an international artist who remains deeply connected to his hometown.
The Institute’s director and editor, Pilar Tebar, along with the head of publications, Tony Cabot, attended the ceremony. The book is organized into nine chapters that trace the arc of Camilo’s career and the Alcoyan legacy, presenting a coherent narrative that honors the public figure while acknowledging the person behind it.
tribute premiere
The book will be officially unveiled at the Calderón Theater in Alcoy next Thursday at 7:30 PM, during a tribute premiere where Toni Cabot will introduce the author and his work. Attending will be the president of the Diputación and the vice president of culture, among others. The event will feature members of the Los Daysons and a saxophonist who helped shape Camilo’s early musical journey, along with Moisés Olcina, who will perform a concert that reinterprets Camilo Sesto’s work through a jazz lens.
The Daysons, now nearing eighty, will reminisce about Camilo and rehearse together throughout the year, according to Climent. Olcina will deliver a saxophone solo to present a thematic concert inspired by Alcoy. Tickets are available through the Juan Gil-Albert Institute and the Calderón Theater, with details on the Institute’s site. The gala will be streamed on the Juan Gil-Albert Cultural Institute YouTube channel, enabling fans from across Spain and Latin America to follow live, reflecting the artist’s broad international following.