The CERVANTINO International Festival will take place from October 13 to 31.

Published October 13th, 2021

From October 13 to 31, the CERVANTINO International Festival (FIC) will be held in a hybrid format to meet again with the audience in its 49th edition, with 110 performances: 81 in the cultural venues of the state of Guanajuato and 29 on digital platforms, betting on reaching a diverse and broad audience.

On this occasion, 20 countries will participate Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, United States, France, Georgia, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Peru, Mexico, United Kingdom, and Canada, with the region of Quebec.

Guanajuato is ready to receive the artists, as well as the various in-person and digital audiences; open spaces were privileged for the functions and there is a strict protocol for health care.

The hybrid programming aims to provide a cultural offer that seeks to preserve the health of artists, audience, collaborators, and staff; in the on-site events, there will be a strict protocol, the use of masks, the application of antibacterial gel, respect for healthy distance, temperature taking and controlled access to the venues will be mandatory, among other measures, and will be subject to the epidemiological traffic light of the entity.

At the Cervantino, music of many different genres, dance, theater, literature, visual arts, film, photography, digital culture, and other artistic disciplines and cultural activities will be held to the delight of attendees and online audiences.

As announced in advance, in the 49th edition of FIC Cuba and Coahuila are the country and state guests of honor, who will begin their participation in an opening show by Formell y Los Van Van, and the Orquesta Filarmónica del Desierto, Coahuila de Zaragoza, a musical feast in which Cuban and Mexican roots will be recovered. Meanwhile, Tania Libertad will revive the boleros of Armando Manzanero in a tribute at the Explanada de la Alhóndiga de Granaditas, being the closing event of this edition.

From the Caribbean island will come diverse rhythms and genres through the music of Septeto Santiaguero, José María Vitier Cuarteto, Steel Band de El Cobre, and Hectico and Aramís, representing Cuban trova. Ray Fernández and Eduardo Sosa will perform, as well as Alain Pérez Quinteto, who will take us on a journey through jazz, flamenco, and traditional Cuban son, while Daniel Herrera and guests will surprise us with their voices in the show De Lecuona a Manzanero, as will Camerata Romeu, Latin America’s first all-female string orchestra.

Representing the state of honor, among others, will be the Orquesta Filarmónica del Desierto, Coahuila de Zaragoza; the Camerata de Coahuila; Eliezer Jáuregui Arrazate; Martín Madrigal and Alejandro Vela. In turn, the National Jazz Orchestra of Mexico will exalt the Mexican spirit through traditional sounds and Celtillo Folk will show its fresh version of this genre.

This year sees the consolidation of a co-production project between the Cervantino International Festival and the State Institute of Culture and Teatro en Fuga. This is the premiere of the play ¿Has visto el Pacífico, which reflects on the rights of children.

The Centro de Cultura Digital collaborates with the FIC through Humedales Digitales, a program of activities that fuses virtuality and the living arts to demonstrate the relationship and exchange between environments of different natures: Rastros/ Rostros, an interactive installation on the steps of the University of Guanajuato; Metamorfosis “2.0”. Exhibition of hybrid works. Theater and digital performance; a Telematic Experiences Workshop, to challenge digital communication platforms; and five activities that use games as a tool for inclusion.

Online audiences will be able to enjoy the Montreal Symphony Orchestra; the Italian dance group NoGravity; the National Opera Company of the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature; the CEPROMUSIC ensemble; the National Theater Company; and the China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater Company, among others.
In addition, Proyecto Ruelas-Teatro Comunitario will participate with three plays with a social focus and, as part of the Cervantino para Todos program, CEFERESO No. 12 CPS-Guanajuato will present “Líber & Arte”, an online show entitled Verdades Ocultas, a play based on the experiences of 90 people deprived of their liberty and the difficulties of reintegrating into society.

As part of the cinematographic and literary offerings, the guests of honor will offer a series of activities including the film series Identity, Inclusive FIC, and a tribute to the filmography of Emilio “Indio” Fernandez.

The museums of Guanajuato will show 24 proposals of photography, painting, sculpture, graphic art, popular art, pre-Hispanic art, installation, video art, and digital art, carried out in alliance with public institutions from Coahuila, Cuba, and Guanajuato, in addition to the participation of private institutions such as Colección FEMSA. Resistance. José Omar Torres; the collective Ceñir lo yermo, Segar el mar; Espejo de modernidad. Leo Matiz; Trazos del Quijote and Jazzamoart, 70 years are some of the exhibitions that strengthen the plastic arts offer; some of them can be visited virtually through mobile devices.

For the second time, the PITCH Cervantino will be held, a digital art market to position artistic shows nationally and internationally.

The festival will broadcast 70% of its content through public television and radio, in addition to a series of cultural products to be enjoyed through the social networks of FIC, the federal Ministry of Culture and allied entities, the Contigo en la Distancia platform, and the Cervantino application for mobile devices. Access to these contents will be free of charge. The complete program can be consulted on the official website festivalcervantino.gob.mx