Birthplace of Myths

Plazza d'Espana

No wonder Seville is the birthplace of well knowm myths such as Don Juan, Carmen, Figaro (the Barber from Seville). There's something in the lively atmosphere of this vibrant city in the South of Spain that inspires writers, composers, musicians, dancers. It is a city that never sleeps, a late night city.People all over it look cheerful and with a big lust for life. It is said that the sevillians are accomplished actors, and that this talent is displayed especially at times of festivals. And ,of course, the Flamenco has its origin in Seville.

The red cut bricks of the La Giralda

The town of Seville which is one of the oldest in Spain and the largest in the southern Andalucia region of Spain, has several attractive sites: The Cathedral, one of he biggest in the world, which houses the tomb of Cristhopher Columbus ; The Giralda (the bell tower of the Cathedral), the Alcazar , a palace with spectacular gardens; Plaza d'Espana - a semi circle with buildings that have tiled alcoves on the walls, some beautiful bridges, and a fountain in the center.

pony ride at the Amusement Park

With all the beauty around, what I recall best from Seville, is a small, trivial incident : I entered an amusement park and stopped at the site where children of various ages were riding a pony. Cute kids and cute ponnies as well. It was a lovely scene to look at. The loveliness was interrupted by the screaming of one of the younger kids who refused to get off the pony and demanded another round; his mother was against.

I remembered I had something in my bag that could perhaps solve the crisis . It was a small colorful ball that I had found earlier on the ground near the entrance to the park. I opened my bag, took out the ball and handed it to the screaming child. At that moment, the screaming of another child was heard. It was the child who recognized his lost ball, called his father and pointed in mine direction and in the direction of the ball, now in the hands of the first screaming kid.

I was standing helpless because of language barrier. I turned around and left the spot like a coward leaving the two parents and the two kids to solve the mess. I felt a total Failure.

QUE VIVA ESPANA

Espagna- Spain, the craddle of Flamenco dancing and guitar playing, Corrida (bullfighting), the inspiring figures of the libertine Don Juan (play) and the gipsy Carmen (opera) , the divine voices of Victoria de Los Angeles and Jose Carreras, unforgettable Eurovision spanish songs, attractive cities and amazing landscapes.

(The title of the post QUE VIVA ESPANA is the name of a spanish Hit song in passadobles rhytm).

When I was a school girl in a little town in north-east Roumania, I knew a very musical family of gipsy descent. All the members of this family could sing, dance, and play the violin and/or the accordion. None of them had any formal musical education, except one of the daughters , Maria, who had won a scholarship to study at the conservatory in the county town, afterwhich she went on to study vocal music at the Music Academy in the capital city, where she eventually graduated as an opera singer.

Needless to say she was the Gem of her family and the pride of her little native town.

As an opera performer, Maria was a constant choice and favourite for the part of Carmen ( the protagonist of Bizet's famous opera) due to her mezzosoprano voice , her looks (dark hair, dark eyes. olive skin), and her flexible and sensuous body. She was a great success in the role of Carmen ( the gipsy from Sevilla) and appeared on stage in many world opera houses.

Well, the trouble with her, was that she could not draw the line between her personal life and her role on the stage.. While on a tour in Spain, performing in the role of Carmen, she decided to stay there and not return to Roumania. She fell in love with a bullfighter (like in the opera's plot) and neglected her career.

After a few years, she came back home, ill and with no money. Her elder and married sister persuaded her to come and stay with her and family in the county town for as long as she needed. I didn't see her anymore, but I heard things about her spanish affair. It appeared that the bullfighter had dumped her and got custody of their child. She tried to fight back, but with no success as the bullfighter had friends in high position. This destroyed her completely. At a certain phase, she felt threatened, wanted to leave Spain and return to her country of origin, but she had trouble with the roumanian communist authorities as she was considered a deserter artist.

The story doesn't have a very happy end , but it ended not so badly considering the circumstances. Maria recovered from her illness, and got a job as a choir girl at the Opera . Moreover , with help and good will from various factors, she succeeded in establishing some connection with her child in Spain.

[My Mom used to say to me and my brother:" Don't go too far from your source". Maria got carried away ,went perhaps too far - away from her family, her country, her career- and she was forced by Fate to learn her lesson the hard way].