Tickets for the 21st Fira Mediterrània go on sale

Eva Yerbabuena, Kepa Junkera, Les Anxovetes and Joana Gomila with Lali Ayguadé will perform in the Teatre Kursaal at the upcoming Fira Mediterrània

Arnau Tordera and Magí Canyelles, Carles Dénia, and Chano Domínguez and Paolo Fresu will give concerts at the Teatre Conservatori

Fira Mediterrània Manresa, now in its 21st year, has released the first tickets for performances at the Teatre Kursaal and Teatre Conservatori. Among the performing artists are some of the most outstanding names in Fira's programme, which will take place from 4 to 7 October. They include: the Flamenco dancer Eva Yerbabuena in a performance that fuses Flamenco with Japanese culture; the Basque accordion player Kepa Junkera, who performs his latest album; Joana Gomila and Lali Ayguadé with their music- and dance-inspired show; Arnau Tordera (lead singer of Obeses) and Magí Canyelles, the winners of the Tersa Rebull Award; the Valencia singer Carles Dénia, with his tribute to Ausiàs March; the sea-shanty habanera singers Les Anxovetes, with an intimate performance; and the pianist Chano Domínguez and Italian trumpet player Paolo Fresu, with a joint project.

Shows at the Kursaal

The Flamenco dancer Eva Yerbabuena, one of the biggest names headlining at the upcoming Fira Mediterrània, will showcase Cuentos de azúcar on Friday 5 October at 20.30 in the main auditorium of the Kursaal Theatre. A top internationally acclaimed Flamenco dancer and choreographer, Eva Yerbabuena was entranced by the vocals of Anna Sato during her performance of traditional songs from the Japanese island of Amami. This inspired a dance spectacle that connects the two vastly different worlds of Flamenco and traditional Japanese culture. Music is also an essential part of this dialogue, featuring Flamenco sounds intermingled with traditional harmonies from Amami Island and the forceful presence of a giant Japanese drum, the taiko. 

On Saturday 6 October, in the same venue, a group of female sea-shanty habanera singers Les Anxovetes première (d)ones in an intimate and authentic Mediterranean performance, with a repertoire of their own songs, written and performed from a female perspective. Following the sensation caused by their fresh and female take on habanera sea shanties, the Girona-based group goes one step further with a revised and extended selection of their general repertoire of seafaring songs. Featuring material they have composed, their music is interspersed with pop, rock and bolero influences, among others.

On Sunday 7 October at 19.00, the 21st Fira Mediterrània's closing concert sees the Basque accordion player Kepa Junkera take the stage. The artist brings his latest album Fok, selected as the best folk repertoire at the 2018 Enderrock Awards, to the Kursaal's main auditorium. Junkera reinterprets pieces from Catalonia, the Community of Valencia and the Balearic Islands, adding his own creatively distinctive stamp to give them a playful and improvised feel. On this musical journey, he is accompanied by the Friends of Fok, a group of young musicians and other guest artists, who will bring this year's Fira Mediterrània to a thrilling close.

Also performing in the small auditorium of the Kursaal Theatre are the Menorcan singer Joana Gomila and the internationally renowned and prestigious Catalan choreographer Lali Ayguadé, in a joint project. An initiative by the Auditori de Barcelona, entitled Sa Mateixa, the show is based on a recurring image that colours the geometry of collective memory. Once again, Fira Mediterrània attests to the artistic growth of this Menorcan singer, who wowed audiences and critics two years ago during her first foray into traditional music with the acclaimed Folk Souvenir. The show is scheduled for Friday 5 October at 22.00.

Teatre Conservatori

Tickets are also available for a concert by Arnau Tordera, lead singer of Obeses, and the tenor singer Magí Canyelles with Les cançons seran sempre nostres. The project won the Teresa Rebull Award for the best Traditional Folk Music Production. Performing as a quintet, Tordera and Canyelles connect traditional and modern music through their innovative instrumentation and laid-back attitude. This is the first time that Tordera, one of the most charismatic names of Catalan pop rock, comes into contact with traditional music through a personal project. This concert will take place on Friday 5 October at 22.30, at the Teatre Conservatori.

The Valencian singer Carles Dénia brings to the Conservatori what could be his most courageous and complete project to date, the adaptation of Ausiàs March's greatest work, Cant Espiritual, on Saturday 6 October at 19.00. Dénia's performance blends jazz, Flamenco, Valencian song, Mediterranean music, Latin American bolero and even funk to create a fusion every bit as emotional, multifaceted and passionate as the original verses. It is an opportunity to savour the latest artistic feat of one of the most prestigious and internationally acclaimed musicians from the Community of Valencia. Always stunning on stage, he will perform a mix of Flamenco, jazz, traditional song and music of his own composition.

At 22.30, the same venue will host the first joint project by Chano Domínguez and Paolo Fresu, two legendary names of contemporary music. Italian born and bred Paolo Fresu is one of the greatest trumpet players in the history of European jazz, while the legendary Andalusian pianist Chano Domínguez has played an essential role in Flamenco jazz for the last thirty years. Manresa sees both musicians delve into a repertoire of songs imbued with jazz, Flamenco and Mediterranean identity.

Ticket sales

Tickets for these shows can be purchased at the Kursaal Ticket Office or the Fira Mediterrània website (www.firamediterrania.cat), where users can also find out about other special offers. There are early-bird discounts available and also the 'Toc de la Mediterrània' promotional pack with tickets for shows by Les Anxovetes, Carles Dénia i Kepa Junkera, featuring a 25% discount.