The XLIV Festival Internacional Cervantino (El cervantino) is taking place right now in Guanajuato, Mexico, and will last through the 23rd.
This artistic celebration features dozens of different activities, highlighting the celebration of the Fourth Centenary Cervantes’s death.
This year’s theme will be “Cervantes 400: From Madness to Idealism“, a phrase that makes reference to the adventures of “The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha”, a master piece of literature and a work that has marked the history of the most important arts festival in all Latin America.
Also this year, Spain and Jalisco will be the special guests for the XLIV edition of this festival.
During the Festival, Spain is also responsible for the opening acts.
The Festival Internacional Cervantino (popularly known as El Cervantino) takes place each fall in the city of Guanajuato, located in central Mexico. This colonial-era city is full of history and features a large cultural scene. The origins of the festival are from the mid 20th century, when short plays by Miguel de Cervantes called “entremeses” were performed in the city’s plazas.
In 1972, this was expanded with federal support including a bigger number of events to add a more international flavor. Since then, FIC has grown to become the most important international artistic and cultural event in Mexico and Latin America, and one of four major events of its type in the world.
FIC is a member of the European Festivals Association and the Asian Association of Theater Festivals In addition to government support, there are also private sponsors such as Telmex, Televisa and Microsoft.
A gamma of activities, concerts, theater plays, ballet dances, art exhibitions, lectures, along with master conferences will be part of the Festival this year, presented by The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of Spain; the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID); the Embassy of Spain in Mexico and Spanish Cultural Action (AC / E).
The opening ceremony was attended by José María Lassalle, Secretary of Culture of Guanajuato state, along with other federal, state and municipal authorities and Spanish personalities, as well.
The National Orchestra of Spain (Orquesta Nacional de España), directed by David Afkham, will offer a concert on October, Tuesday 11 at “Juarez” Theater, featuring “Don Quixote” by Strauss, “Nights in the Gardens of Spain” by Manuel de Falla, Symphony No. 7 by Beethoven and “Persiles jobs and Sigismunda”, a world premiere of a work by the composer, Jimmy Lopez.
This concert will be repeated on October, Thursday 13 at the “Palacio de Bellas Artes” in Mexico City, and it is organized by the National Orchestra and Chorus of Spain (INAEM) and AC / E.
The National Dance Company (CND – Compañía Nacional de Danza), directed by José Carlos Martínez, will perform in the Auditorium of the State the ballet “Don Quixote Suit. Minus 16”, inspired by the work of Cervantes.
The co-production of the National Classical Theatre Company (CNC – Compañía Nacional de Teatro Clásico ) and Ron Lalá performed “Cervantes” at the “Principal” Theater on Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6, October. While Els Joglars with support from the National Drama Centre (CDN), presented a “VIP” spectacle on October 7 and 8 at the “Teatro Principal”.
The Abbey Theatre (El teatro de la Abadía) brings “The eight interludes and attributable interlude” (October 14 and 15 at the “Teatro Juarez”) and Spanish Cultural Action will exhibit at the Cultural Institute of Leon (October 5 to November 6) “16 characters wonder and … Miguel de Cervantes “.
The inaugural concert by Dorian gathered experts in Cervantes’ work at the forecourt of the “Alhondiga Granaditas”.
Finally, “Musica Ficta”, one of the most renowned classic music ensembles in Spain, will be closing the Festival, including a cycle of Spanish cinema of 21 films, with an spectacular show of music, known as: “Quixote – Music in times of Cervantes”.