The week long International Habaneras Competition in Torrevieja starts on Monday 24th July and continues until Sunday 30th July 2023. It is one of the most popular cultural events within Torrevieja. The first competition was held in 1955 and there has been one every year since then.
The Habanera is a specific type of music that originated from Cuba in the 19th century. It was the first written music to be rhythmically based on an African motif, and the first dance music from Cuba to be exported all over the world.
This year, the 69th edition, will also feature a number of parallel activities, of particular note being the free daily recitals and choral performance that will take place in Calle Concepción, just across the road from the Main Church in the Plaza de la Concepcion.
Featured under the name of “Tardes de habaneras” there will also be a performance of accordion and soloists from a balcony in the Miguel Hernández square, scheduled for 21:30 p.m. on July 29th.
The Vice President of the Habaneras Board, José Antonio Quesada, explained that the intention of this range of initiatives is to open up the Contest and the Habanera to the wider public, expanding the evenings themselves and “complementing the other classic events, such as the ‘Night of Habaneras on the Beach” that took place as a prologue to the Contest.
The additional activities will begin at 8pm, Tuesday to Friday, and include:
Tuesday 25th El Conservatorio, en Habaneras
Wednesday 26th The poetry of Ricardo Lafuente, by the association 3MAP
Thursday 27th The Ensemble of Madrigalists of the University of Playa Ancha (Chile)
Friday 28th Concert by the Orchestra de Pulso y Púa “Cecilio Gallego”
On Saturday 29th at 9.30 pm in Plaza Miguel Hernández – ‘Habaneras desde el balcón’ with accordion and solo singers.
Of course, the outdoor programme will run in tandem with the Habaneras Contest itself, which will be taking place throughout the week in the Municipal Theatre.
It will be presented by the TVE Cultural host Elena Sánchez, one of the most recognized faces in the cultural field of public television. With an extraordinary professional career, she is currently presenting ‘Historia de nuestro cine’ on TVE’s La2.
In announcing her as the main host, the Board of Trustees complemented the style and professionalism that she showed during the three editions of the Contest in which she has previously been involved, stating that they have no hesitation in appointing her once again.
Sánchez said, “I will miss the Eras de la Sal” because the Contest is being held for the second consecutive year in the Municipal Theatre due to the work of its usual iconic venue.
HABANERAS PROGRAMME
Monday, July 24: Opening Gala with the Spanish singer Pasión Vega and the Symphony Choir of the Municipal Choral School.
Tuesday, July 25: A scenic-musical recreation of El Regalo: el cuento de la habanera, with original text by Amparo Cos, and a cast of singers, musicians and actors.
Competition phase: Coro Pichincha (Quito, Ecuador) and Coro de la Universidad Católica de Temuco (Temuco, Chile).
Wednesday, July 26: Competition phase: Conjunto de Madrigalistas Universidad de Playa Ancha (Valparaíso, Chile); Ensamble Oikos (Montevideo, Uruguay); Adelis Freitez Polyphonic Choir (Lara State, Venezuela).
Thursday, July 27: Competition phase: Kaunas Kamertonas Mixed Choir (Kaunas, Lithuania); Ensamble Vocal Macondo (Medellín, Colombia); Concordia Choir (Warsaw, Poland); Chamber Choir of Copiapó (Copiapó, Chile).
Friday, July 28: Competition phase: Chamber Choir Extremadura (Badajoz); Nubah (Grenada); Las Veredas Youth Choir (Colmenarejo, Madrid); Kammerchor Manila (Manila, Philippines).
Saturday, July 29: Grand International Choral Gala of Exhibition, Awards Ceremony and common singing by the participating groups.
Sunday, July 30: Local evening with the Choirs and Orchestra Maestro Ricardo Lafuente, Masa Coral José Hódar, Agrupación Coral Manuel Barberá, Orfeón de Torrevieja, Coral Torrevejense Francisco Vallejos and Coro Maestro Casanovas.
All performances start at 22:30, for more information take a look at the official website at www.habaneras.org.
This year there are 13 choirs participating, 3 of which are Spanish and the other 10 are from Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, Lithuania, Colombia, Poland and the Philippines.
