The Mediterranean Flamenco Festival marks its seventh edition this year with fresh news about the Cante de las Minas International Festival winners. They will perform for the first time in La Unión, Alicante, thanks to an agreement signed last year by the organizers of the two events in Alicante. The Mediterranean Foundation notes that participant selections will continue through the Murcian festival, whose 62nd edition concluded on August 13.
Winners from Cante de las Minas will share the stage on November 11 during the gala affiliated with the Mediterranean Flamenco Festival, running from October 26 to November 25 at the headquarters of the Mediterranean Foundation in Alicante and Murcia. [Citation: Mediterranean Foundation press release]
Designed by Villena’s own designer and illustrator Fran Ferriz, this edition pays tribute to contemporary expressions alongside traditional flamenco and dancers such as Manuel Linan and Mercedes de Córdoba, with vincent soto and the ringsecond represented by guitarist little jerk.
Flamenco Mediterráneo offers a robust program alongside parallel activities. These include Mercedes de Córdoba’s dance master class, lectures on flamenco photography, insights into the art of flamenco footwear, a documentary series, a photography competition, and a showcase of the winning images. [Citation: Festival program notes]
The festival is led by the Akdeniz Foundation and has become a cultural beacon that links Alicante and Murcia while highlighting the flamenco potential of the organization.
Louis Boyer, President of the Akdeniz Foundation, reflects on a tradition of devotion to flamenco and recalls the foundation’s long-standing, innovative collaboration with Cante de las Minas, supported by some of flamenco’s most influential figures. [Citation: Akdeniz Foundation remarks]
Javier Serrano, director of the competition, emphasizes the aim of presenting a wide and high-quality panorama of the art: singing and dancing, film projections, master classes, lectures, an international photography contest, and a blend of styles with leading flamenco figures who have achieved global recognition. [Citation: Festival director’s note]
another innovation
This seventh edition begins October 26 in Alicante and continues with a Murcia conference on October 27, addressing keys to flamenco photography. The first performance, led by Serrano, sets the stage for new formats in the competition. Carmen Linares, the festival’s godmother and a recent Princess of Asturias Arts Prize recipient, will annually recommend flamenco artists whose quality is unmistakable yet not widely known. Linares’ counsel has highlighted Cadiz-born singer Encarna Anillo and Chilean guitarist Andrés Hernández, along with little jerk.
Tickets and subscription
The festival takes place at Fundación Mediterráneo’s headquarters in Alicante (Avda. Doctor Gadea, 1) and in Murcia (C/Escultor Nicolás Salzillo, 7). Tickets for individual performances can be purchased at the box office or via the foundation’s website. A full-festival pass is available for 90 Euros, guaranteeing access to all shows, the documentary cycle, and entry to other events planned as part of the competition.
program
(Alicante, 26 October, 20:00 – Murcia, 27 October, 21:00)
Audiences will hear Cádiz’s characteristic songs such as alegrías, tientos tangos, soleá, tanguillos, and bulerías. From its cradle, flamenco has lived through stories carried by artists like Juan Villar, Chano Lobato, and Mariana Cornejo, seen as the inheritors of Cádiz cantares. A younger generation, Terremoto, has shared stages with Carmen Linares, Duquende, and La Niña de la Puebla.
Guitarists and the evolving language of flamenco will be highlighted, with technical and harmonic explorations that travel beyond borders to preserve cultural memories. The musical training at the Escuela Moderna de Música blends with mentorship from figures such as Rafael Cañizares, Manolo Sanlúcar, and Parrilla de Jerez.
(Murcia, 3 November, 20:30 – Alicante, 4 November, 19:00)
Dance emerges as the language in which Mercedes de Córdoba questions, explores, and reaffirms herself. With the premise Yes I want, she dives into the emotions surrounding art and love, inviting the audience to celebrate life. The Córdoba native began wearing dance shoes at age four and, by twelve, was invited to tour France with Javier Latorre and Eva Yerbabuena. She trained with maestros such as Latorre, Araleo Moyano, Inmaculada Aguilar, Nuria Leiva, Aida Gómez, Manolete, and Eva Yerbabuena.
In addition to her performance, Mercedes de Córdoba will also give a master class in Alicante on November 2, illustrating how she plans and executes choreographies for both active participants and spectators.
(Murcia, 10 November, 20:30 – Alicante, 11 November, 19:00)
The 2023 Cante de las Minas International Festival awardees included the Mining Lamp prize, Raul Perez Fernández’s Philon Prize, Joel Vargas and Rocio Garrido winning Desplante in the women’s and men’s categories, and Juan Luis Campos Triguero for Mining Staff.
(Murcia 17 November, 20:30 – Alicante 18 November, 19:00)
Signature dance: An exhibition by bailaor Manuel Liñán, who explores a dreamlike space just before sleep. The piece blends choreography and improvisation into a timeless, gyroscopic journey that edges toward flamenco’s avant-garde, a daring synthesis after collaborations with major ensembles and artists like the Spanish National Ballet, Rafaela Carrasco, and Belén Maya.
(Alicante, 25 November, 19:00)
Heritage is an audio manifesto led by Vicente Soto, tracing flamenco from its primal roots to contemporary expressions. Deafness features prominently as a lasting theme, with Vicente Soto bridging generations as an acclaimed artist who has performed on stages from La Scala to Paris and Rome.