The Rafael Domenech Pardo auditorium of the Benidorm Cultural Center hosted this afternoon the first day of the XXV Festival of Orchestras and Pulse and Púa Rondallas of the Valencian Community after its recent declaration as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC). The mayor of the city, Toni Pérez, as well as the Minister of Culture, Education and Universities, Carmen Ortí and members of the government team attended this first day of the contest. The queens of the Festes Majors Patronals, Laura Ivars and Carmen Guillem, and the president of the Commission, Ramón Cano, have also attended.

The festival was inaugurated by the president of the Federation of Rondallas of the Valencian Community, Luis Julián García, who said that “this edition will remain in our collective memory after the recognition as BIC” which represents highlighting “a tradition deeply rooted in the Valencian territory.” García has indicated that the declaration carries “a solid institutional prestige” and has thanked the Ministry and the councilor “for their determined support in promoting our traditions towards the future and for promoting string instruments.” He also thanked the Benidorm City Council and mayor “for their support to culture and music and specifically to the La Barqueta rondalla.”

Before the interpretations, the president and vice president of the ACR La Barqueta, Franciso Llorens and Batiste Rostoll have imposed an insignia on the president of the Valencian Federation and some details have been exchanged.

The official ceremony was closed by Toni Pérez, the mayor, who highlighted “this recognition for which you have fought so hard.” The first mayor recalled the “many satisfaction that our La Barqueta rondalla has given to many thousands of people over the decades” and stated that “approaching music in any form is always a great satisfaction.” Pérez has also highlighted the City Council’s “permanent commitment” “to ensure that local musical entities have their space for everything that culture and music means” and has hoped, to conclude, that the BIC declaration “is another incentive to continue growing the music of the rondalla and the pulse and púa.”

The first day of the festival featured the first performance by Rondalla de Gata (Gata de Gorgos), which performed a program composed of:

• ‘La boda de Luis Alonso’ (Gerónimo Giménez),
• ‘Lágrimas negras’ (M. Matamoros y Ángel Pozo),
• ‘El baile de Luis Alonso’ (Gerónimo Giménez),
• El pasodoble ‘Gallito’ (Santiago López Gonzalo),
• ‘Atrapa sueños’ de la obra El Mago de Oz (arreglos de Daniel Pedrós),

with the direction of Manuel Olivencia.

In second place, the Plectro Orchestra ‘El Micalet’ from Lliria performed with the following program:

• ‘Valencia-Lliria’ (Miguel Pascual),
• ‘Peer-Gint’ (Edvard Grieg)
• L’Arlesienne, Suite número 2 (Georges Bizet),

under the direction of Miguel Gómez.