The Hernan Autumn program continues this Saturday with a cultural outing at Lonja Municipal Auditorium, scheduled for 19:30. The evening features the Iberoamerican Poetic Anthology, edited by Bi/Koa, coordinated by Mónica Sarmiento, and presented by Aitor Larrabide. A tribute will be paid to Carmen Alemany Bay, a renowned scholar of Miguel Hernández and a professor of Latin American Literature at the University of Alicante. Larrabide highlights the significance of Alemany Bay by noting her recent work, Unpublished and incomplete texts by Miguel Hernández, and how it reinforces her Hernandian scholarship. This recognition from Orihuela honors her sustained contributions to the study and publication of Hernández’s texts and their cultural impact.
In connection with the Iberoamerican Poetic Anthology, participants include writers and poets such as María Ángeles Pérez López from Spain, Sergio Ramírez of Nicaragua, Telmo Herrera of Ecuador, Rafael Courtoisie of Uruguay, Juan Carlos Mestre of Spain, Miguel Ángel Zapata of Peru, Víctor Manuel Mendiola of Mexico, Hugo Mujica of Argentina, and Xavier Oquendo Troncoso of Ecuador. The gathering weaves together a broad spectrum of Iberian and American poetic voices, enriching the evening with diverse stylistic approaches and historical perspectives.
Miguel Hernández walking around New York
Speeches from notable poets will accompany the program. Brigidina Gentile will share thoughtful readings, along with Marisa Russo, who will present a selection of works drawn from a range of East Coast literary conversations. Monica Sarmiento Archer contributes reflections on memory and art, while Elisa Constanza Zamora Perez explores themes of hope and resilience through imagery that evokes blossoms, seagulls, and harbor scenes. Academics and cultural managers, including Vicente Alcaraz García, Ramon Abajo, Pilar Viviente Solé, and Maria A. Higuero Tocon, will also contribute insights drawn from their extensive study and engagement with contemporary poetry and culture.
Lux Aeterna’s performance
The evening will close with a performance by the Lux Aeterna Ensemble, featuring Rafael Lozano as director, composer, and saxophonist; Francisco Jorge Montesinos on saxophone; Susanna Vardanyan as soprano; Juan José Teruel on piano; Marta Bascuñana as performer; and Rafael Bascuñana handling illustrations and audiovisuals. The program includes a selection of dawn heralds and memories inspired by Miguel Hernández, with lyrics by Hernández, music by Lozano, and performances of pieces such as Ramon Sijé, My Heart Is Full, Abandoned Sandals, and a heartfelt rendition of a water-themed piece. The ensemble’s interpretations aim to illuminate Hernández’s poetry through contemporary soundscapes and visual storytelling, inviting the audience to experience the poems as living art forms.
The Hernandiano Autumn festival is organized by the Miguel Hernández Cultural Foundation in collaboration with the Orihuela City Council Culture Department. Supporting partners include the Social and Cultural Study of Caja Rural Central de Orihuela and Alejandro Roemmers, head of Iberian-American Cultural and Creative Industries at Miguel Hernández University. The program emphasizes the enduring connection between literature, music, and visual arts, and it invites attendees to explore the layered meanings within Hernández’s legacy as interpreted by modern artists and scholars.