- The Councillor for Infrastructure, Salome Pradas, has stated that his department will support the approach of remodeling the Eras de la Sal projected by the City of Torrevieja, including the implementation of what will be the new site for the Habaneras Contest to be located in the current area of dry dock.
- The Patronato awards its highest distinction, the Escudo de Oro, to Pilar Páez Martínez, member of the technical-musical commission of the Certamen.
TORREVIEJA. 28-07-2023.- The die is cast. The 69th International Contest of Habaneras and Polyphony of Torrevieja has concluded its competition phase with the performance of three Spanish groups and a fourth Asian, from the Philippines. The chamber choir of Extremadura (Badajoz); the ‘Nubah’ from Granada and the young choir ‘Las Veredas’ from Colmenarejo (Madrid), as well as Kammerchor Manila from the Philippines, each offered their five corresponding works, starting with “Sal de mi vida”, by Víctor Daniel Lozada, habanera of obligatory interpretation by all the groups that compete for the prizes of the Contest. Performances with which the jury composed of Nuria Fernandez, David Colado, Julia Foruria, Filipa Palhares and Robert Sellés has completed its work, having delivered to the organization their respective scores to form the winners of this edition, which will be known in the evening of July 29, after an extraordinary choral gala with the best of this edition of the Contest.
This has been witnessed by the Regional Minister of Environment, Water, Infrastructures and Territory of the Generalitat Valenciana, Salome Pradas, during his first official visit to Torrevieja. The regional responsible has stated that his department will support the approach of remodeling the Eras de la Sal projected by the City of Torrevieja, including the implementation of what will be the new enclosure for the Habaneras Contest to be located in the current area of dry dock. The councilor added that “Torrevieja will have a major role in this legislature and for this Consell” just after pledging to meet the claim “very well founded mayor” to split the CV95 by the problems involved and that is even more necessary by the presence of the University Hospital Dr. Manuel García Gea. For his part, the mayor of the city, Eduardo Dolon, has had words of thanks to the councilor for her tacit support for the contest and this important project for the history and culture of Torrevieja, while claiming different needs and pending investments by the Consell in the city of salt.
PILAR PÁEZ, GOLD SHIELD OF THE CONTEST
The surprise of the evening came just after the break, when the presenter Elena Sanchez, has required the presence of the mayor and vice president of the Board. Eduardo Dolon and Jose Antonio Quesada, respectively, have delivered a record in which he was awarded the Gold Shield of this edition of the contest to Pilar Páez Martínez, member of the technical-musical commission, to the great surprise of the winner. She has been highlighted, among other merits, “the close link with the organization and artistic development of this own Contest, with direct responsibility and totally disinterested, for sixteen years. This distinction also recognizes “his commitment to the habanera, with Torrevieja and with the most important artistic manifestation of the city, being for more than two decades indispensable engine of the transmission of the value of choral singing and the habanera among the youngest, through the Choral School of this Board.
The president of the Patronato presented her with the Golden Shield before listening to her words, in which she thanked him for the recognition and conveyed the enormous roots that the habanera and music have had in her life “almost even before she was born”. Visibly moved, she wanted to dedicate it to her grandfather, Julián Martínez Valdés.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE GENERALITAT, AT THE PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONY
The evening of Friday has ended with the voting of the audience award that will be known this Saturday in one of the central moments of the Contest as is the Grand Choral Gala and subsequent awards ceremony. Gala in which will be present the president of the Generalitat Valenciana, Carlos Mazón. It will be the first time since 2015 in which the Head of the Consell attends the Torrevieja Contest that, remember, is medal for cultural merit of the Generalitat Valenciana and is declared of international tourist interest.
HABANERA AFTERNOONS AND DAYS
This July 28, has come to an end also the “Afternoons of Habaneras” at the confluence of shopping streets Concepcion with Darblade Photographers, have had a small concert by the orchestra of pulse and plectrum ‘Cecilio Gallego’. The parallel activities will continue on Saturday with the X edition of the International Conference of the Habanera and Choral Singing to be held at the Municipal Theatre and will conclude with the official reception to the participating choirs by the mayor-president, Eduardo Dolon and rehearsal of the common song that will conclude the Choral Gala of the same evening. That same evening, at 21.30h. there will be performance of accordion and soloists from a balcony of the Plaza Miguel Hernandez.