Ellas Crean, a festival dedicated to women performers and creators is taking place during March and April 2018 in Madrid, Spain. The acclaimed series is supported by various cultural entities and national museums, associations, international culture institutes, and other entities. The series will feature more than 100 activities and half a thousand artists. Some of the key events include music, dance and theater as well as different projects of social and educational nature. Additionally, there will several round tables focusing on inequality in the performing and musical arts, featuring representatives of the main professional associations of women in the arts.
Conde Duque is once again the main venue for this festival. The music part of the festival will present quality, diversity and a mixture of tradition and innovation, performed by both established and emerging artists, and with free admission until venues are full.
Flamenco will be part of the music events, featuring the deep song of Carmen Linares singing to Miguel Hernández in the presentation of her album Verso a verso; and the flamenco effervescence of the Nuevo Jerez show, by two young cantaoras (singers) with both family tradition and future, María Terremoto and Lela Soto.
The world music side of the music events includes Tunisian singer Emel Mathlouthi, “the voice of the Arab Spring”, renovator of traditional Arabic music with electronic sounds. Syrian vocalist Linda Al-Ahmad will showcase her music in collaboration with Casa Árabe. She will pay homage to three divas of the Arab song: Umm Kulzum (Egypt), Asmahan (Syria) and Fairuz (Lebanon).
Two Spanish emerging artists are included this year, Elena Setién, presenting Dreaming of Earthly Things and Judit Neddermann.
Classical music will be featured with a tribute to the composer Teresa Catalán, recent National Music Prize, featuring mezzo-soprano Marta Knörr and pianist Mario Prisuelos. The prestigious female Tiburtina Ensemble from the Czech Republic will present the Medieval music repertoire of Hildegard von Bingen, a nun that was an influential composer in ther Middle Age.
Two jazz artists are part of the program: avant-garde jazz American pianist Myra Melford and Polish bassist Kinga Glyk.
Irish singer and instrumentalist Eleanor McEvoy will present her folk-rock inspired by Irish traditions.
In addition to these shows, many of Madrid’s live music venues have scheduled concerts featuring women through La Noche en Vivo, with support from the Community of Madrid (regional government).
Wednesday, March 7
Carmen Linares (Spain)
Canta a Miguel Hernández – Flamenco,
Auditorio Conde Duque – 20:00 h – free admission
Friday, March 9
Elena Setién (Spain)
Pop
Auditorio Conde Duque – 19:00 – free admission, tickets available at 18.00 h
Friday, March 9
Judit Neddermann (Spain)
Pop
Auditorio Conde Duque – 20:30 – free admission, tickets available at 18.00 h
Tuesday, March 13
Tiburtina Ensemble (Czech Republic)
Medieval, Egom Sum Homo: Visiones musicales de Hildegard von Bingen
Auditorio Conde Duque – 20:00 – free admission, retirada invitaciones from 17.00 h
Thursday, March 15
Myra Melford (USA)
Jazz
Auditorio Conde Duque – 20:00 – free admission
Tuesday, March 20
Kinga Glyk (Poland)
Jazz/Polonia
Auditorio Conde Duque – 20:00 – free admission
Tuesday, April 3
Linda Al-Ahmad (Syria)
Arab song
Auditorio Conde Duque – 20:00 – free admission
Wednesday, April 4
Homenaje a Teresa Catalán
Mario Prisuelos and Marta Knorr (Spain)
Classical music
Auditorio Conde Duque – a partir 18:00 – free admission, tickets available at 17.00
Thursday, April 5
María Terremoto/Lela Soto (Spain)
Flamenco
Auditorio Conde Duque – 20:00 – free admission
Friday, April 6
Eleanor McEvoy (Ireland)
Irish folk
Auditorio Conde Duque – 20:00 – free admission
Saturday, April 7
Emel Mathlouthi (Tunisia)
Arabic, electronica
Auditorio Conde Duque – 20:00 – free admission
More information at ellascrean.com
headline photo: Tiburtina Ensemble
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
