Cervantino Festival: Between Brazilian carnivals and the oaxacan Guelaguetza

The 52nd edition of the Cervantino Festival, with Brazil and Oaxaca as guests of honor, will be the last organized by Mexico's current federal and state administrations

The 52nd edition of the International Cervantino Festival (FIC) promises to be one of the biggest celebrations, with Brazil and Oaxaca as guests of honor. This year, the country's most important artistic event will be held from October 11 to 27 and will feature the participation of more than 3,000 artists from 24 nations.

As the festival's opening event, the traditional Guelaguetza, representing Oaxacan culture, will take the stage at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas in Guanajuato. Throughout the other venues, international groups such as the Deborah Colker Dance Company from Brazil, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo from Monaco, and the Hiroshima Kagura performance from Japan will enliven the mining city of Guanajuato.

This year’s presentation at the Palace of Fine Arts (Palacio de Bellas Artes) was marked by farewells, as both the federal and Guanajuato state administrations will conclude their terms in September. The first to express gratitude and say goodbye was director Mariana Aymerich, followed by Governor Diego Sinhue. Despite differences with the federal executive, Sinhue highlighted achievements such as the elimination of often-unused complimentary tickets and an increase in ticket sales. “I will no longer be governor, but everything is ready for you to enjoy a happy, safe, and fulfilling Cervantino,” he stated.

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Federal Culture Secretary Alejandra Frausto also noted that she would experience this edition as an audience member and emphasized that this year’s festival "could be called the festival of diversity; we have recognized during this time that cultural diversity is humanity’s greatest wealth, and if there are two references for biological, linguistic, and cultural diversity, they are, precisely, Oaxaca in Mexico and Brazil in Latin America."

Both guests have emphasized their music and diversity: from Oaxaca, participants include the Comuneros del Viento from Santa María Tlahuitoltepec; Diana Gómez, Xhunca, the Tehuantepec Theater Group, San Miguel Amatitlán’s Maroma, Juchirap, the Regional Princess Donashii Band, Los Pream, China Sonidera, Alejandra Robles “La Morena,” Mujeres del Viento Florido, the Oaxaca Symphony Orchestra, and a Grand Ensemble of Oaxacan Bands, among others.

As part of the dual year with Brazil, the South American country will bring to Guanajuato artists such as Filipe Catto, Céu, Pietá, Lenine-Francisco el Hombre (who will close the festival), Simone Mazzer, Cia. Dos à Deux, Grupo Galpao, Clyaton Nascimento, Christiane Jatahy, Cláudia Abreu, and Cia. Os Buriti.

“These two cultural titans have preserved their cultures for hundreds of years, maintaining their dignity and keeping their languages, music, and powerful Afro-descendant traditions alive, which we will enjoy on the unique stage that is Guanajuato,” affirmed Frausto.

She also defended the festival's venue: “Guanajuato is the birthplace of the Cervantino, the University is its cradle, and it should never be moved from Guanajuato. Rotating the programming to other places is good, but there have been temptations to change the venue every year. We have maintained that the Cervantino should remain in its birthplace, which is Guanajuato, and so it will always be,” she added.

The international programming includes Mujer Dance Company from Korea; Teac Damsa from Ireland; Chile's Patogallina Collective; Spain's Protocolo del Quebranto; France's Toutito Teatro; the National Folkloric Ensemble of Croatia; Los Auténticos Decadentes from Argentina; and Berlin's Vocalconsort from Germany.

Gabriel García Márquez will be remembered ten years after his passing with the Colombian show “Reflections of Macondo.” The Silvestre Revueltas Youth Symphony Orchestra will commemorate the 120th anniversary of Dvorák’s death; the Bellas Artes Opera and UdG Symphony will honor Puccini on the centenary of his death; the Yucatán Symphony Orchestra will present a tribute to Felipe Carrillo Puerto; and Rosana Lamosa and Pablo Rossi will remember Brazilian Heitor Villa-Lobos in a recital at the Templo de la Compañía, among other tributes.