The Mediterranean Flamenco Festival, organized by the Mediterranean Foundation, wraps up next Saturday, November 25, at 8:00 PM with performances by Vicente Soto and Lela Soto. Tickets are available at the box office or through the festival’s official link.
The festival concluded a month of attractions that began on October 26 across the Alicante and Murcia centers of the Mediterranean Foundation. Beyond the shows, a series of parallel events enriched the program including master dance classes, talks, a flamenco photo contest with a display of winning images, and a documentary series exploring flamenco’s history and evolution.
Foundation President Luis Boyer remarked on the high quality of the performances and the warm reception from both artists and audiences. He noted that the festival has become a trusted annual event for flamenco enthusiasts and a definitive showcase of this art form.
Mediterranean Flamenco Festival welcomes the artistry of dancer Manuel Liñán
The festival also invited Vicente Soto and Lela Soto to Alicante, highlighting the strong lineage of cantaora tradition represented by the Sordera family. Their show explores what it means to keep flamenco alive while allowing it to renew itself with every generation.
The Alicante venue program presents a living history of flamenco. The performance titled Heritage surveys the lineage from the oldest cante to contemporary interpretations, performed by Vicente Soto Sordera, a pivotal figure in flamenco, and Lela Soto, who has established a notable presence on today’s flamenco stage.
The echo of the Santiago neighborhood in Jerez resonates through Vicente Soto Sordera, a leading voice in cante jondo who carries a rich artistic lineage. This section traces his journey from early exploration to celebrated stage career around the world.
His career weaves through Madrid’s tablaos to the most prestigious stages globally, sharing the stage with legendary dancers and theatre artists. His discography narrates the history and evolution of flamenco, with a trilogy honoring Seville, Jerez, and Cádiz, produced for national broadcasting. Soto’s work underscores how flamenco interacts with other rhythms and modern culture, including explorations in works like Entre dos mundos 2000.
Lela Soto embodies a faltering yet forward-looking flamenco voice. Born in Madrid in 1992, she inherits the Sordera family’s vocal legacy while forging her own path. Her singing blends tradition with contemporary sensibilities, incorporating jazz, blues, and R&B alongside strict flamenco forms. Her collaborations and recognitions affirm her status in today’s flamenco scene.
Her stage presence demonstrates flamenco culture as a living, evolving art. Generations of artists continue to nurture the craft, while performers like Soto push boundaries and invite new expressions to the table.
Festival overview
The Mediterranean Flamenco Festival, conceived by the Fundación Mediterráneo, brings flamenco culture to Alicante and Murcia and seeks to position the festival as a cultural reference point. The Foundation views flamenco as an intangible heritage that resonates with diverse audiences.
The seventh edition celebrated the diversity and richness of flamenco, welcoming established stars alongside fresh talents. The festival closed with HERENCIA, a program emphasizing transmission and growth of an art form that reinvents itself without losing its core essence.
The Mediterranean Flamenco Festival took place at the Alicante Classroom of the Fundación Mediterráneo on Avda. Doctor Gadea, 1, during October and November 2023. Tickets for the latest show were available at the box office and through the Foundation’s official portal, with details published for potential attendees.