Festival Internacional Cervantino
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The Festival Internacional Cervantino (International Cervantes Culture Festival) is an annual festival of performing arts and culture held in the city of Guanajuato, Mexico, celebrating the cultural contributions of Miguel de Cervantes.
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[edit] History
The Cervantino festival started when students of the University of Guanajuato presented the entremeses (farces) of Cervantes in the city's colonial plazas. Slowly these plays grew in importance, until the local government took interest. Guanajuato had recently been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city sought to become a center of national and international tourism. The first Festival Internacional Cervantino began September 29th, 1972. Today the festival is sponsored by the federal government of Mexico, Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (the National Council on Culture and the Arts) and the government of the state of Guanajuato.
[edit] The festival today
The festival takes place every October (specific dates vary) and features world-class performances by international and Mexican acts, in music, dance, theater, visual arts, and street-performance. Every year the festival invites a different country of honor, as well as a specific Mexican state, to bring traditional and contemporary performances from that region. The attendance is very wide, drawing spectators from throughout Mexico and the world and often tickets to performances (as well as local hotels) are booked months in advance.
In recent years, the festival has become a magnet for a younger generation, more interested in the party atmosphere that accompanies the festival than in the performances themselves, and the streets are often jam-packed. In recent years (1998-2006 approximately) this young partying affluence affected in certain degree the festival reputation because many just went to excessively consume alcohol and some drugs. However, in 2007 edition, the Festival Internacional Cervantino was renewed and alcohol sale was regulated (making it illegal to consume it in the streets); besides, police increased its presence in the event, making its cultural sense to prevail.
This year's (2008) guest of honor country will be the autonomous community of Catalonia. Also, the Mexican State of Campeche.
[edit] Past Official Performances
- Phillip Glass
- Ladysmith Black Mambazo
- Afro Cuban All Stars
- Nortec Collective
- Horacio Franco
- Stomp
- Cafe Tacuba
- El Tri
- Real de Catorce (music group))
- Radiohead [1]
- Panteón Rococo
[edit] Unofficial performances
In addition to the many officially sponsored performances, the Cervantino Festival will often be accompanied by numerous concurrent events, ranging from street theater and coffeehouse jams to large privately sponsored concerts, often intended for a youth audience. Living statues and street musicians are very common. However, in late years, since more control is present, the unofficial street performances have decreased considerably.
