Guanajuato, Mexico, Oct 24.- According to Spanish news agency EFE, the 44th International Cervantino Festival came to a close over the weekend in the Mexican city of Guanajuato, where organizers said the event accomplished its goal of staging “the biggest celebration of Cervantes’ works in the world,” and that they are already looking forward to next year when the theme will be “revolutions.”
This edition, staged between Oct. 2-23, had an audience “beyond all expectations,” with 380,000 people attending the 700 activities included in the program, festival director Jorge Volpi said in a press conference.
“Throughout these three weeks, Guanajuato became, not only the Cervantes capital of the Americas, but the Cervantes capital of the world,” Volpi said.
“Festival revenues were 11 percent higher than in 2015, with an estimated yield of 431 million pesos” ($23.1 million USD), Guanajuato State Culture Institute head Juan Alcocer said.
“The next edition will be named “Revolutions,” and will concentrate on the centennials of the Mexican Constitution and the Russian Revolution”, Volpi said.
At that festival, the guest country and guest Mexican region will be France and Mexico State, respectively, taking over from Spain and Jalisco.
The 45th edition will analyze revolutions in all their social, political and artistic aspects, to show how these sometimes drastic upheavals have transformed countries and what their effects and evolutions have been, Volpi said.
The 22 days of the 44th edition, which coincided with the 400th anniversary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes, saw some outstanding performances by groups and soloists including violinist Ara Malikian, singers Mon Laferte and Diane Schuur, and the ensemble of early sacred music, La Grande Chapelle.
Spain was represented by groups such as the National Orchestra, Els Joglars and the La Abadia Theater, while the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra and the Mexican state’s New Tecalitlan Mariachi entertained at the festival’s inaugural gala and at other activities.
Source: EFE/ http://www.worldnewsenespanol.com/