| Olé! olé! When you hear these words being
screamed in the arena at the maestranza in Seville, you can be sure that
the matador facing the bull is winning over some of the most demanding
bullfighting aficionados in Spain. We chose to attend a "corrida"
during holy week in Spain: the toreadors Espartaco, Paco Ojeda and the
much talked about Curro Romero were in the ring that day. Bullfighting
can be art for some people, and sheer butchery for others. What is sure
is that it leaves no one indifferent.
This centuries' old spectacle is governed by some very strict rules,
which any self-respecting Spaniard must have engraved in his mind right
down to the last detail. Though El Cordobes is probably the most famous
bullfighter, a number of other matadors vie for a place in the public's
heart at each temporada.
The corrida takes place in three stages called Tercios. In the first
tercio, Varas as it's called, the matador provokes the bull with his cape.
This is the stage in which he tries to discern the strengths and weaknesses
of the animal. The picadors, on horseback, use sharp, brightly decorated
sticks to wound the bull and to force it to keep its head down.
Then, the banderilleros, on foot, provoke the animal and plant three pairs
of banderillas in the animals shoulders. This is called the banderilla
tercio. |
Then comes the muleta Tercio, in which the matador makes several passes
with the bull. Each pass has a name. By doing this, the matador must demonstrate
his courage and impress the crowd with the elegance of his refined movements.
The estocade, the final death blow to the animal, is the culmination of
the twenty minutes of confrontation.
The sharp and repeated clapping sounds of the spectators' fans, the whispers
and screams becoming progressively louder in the arena, and the music
that begins when Paco Jeda enters the ring... all of this, much more than
the very regimented confrontation itself, is what marked us the most.
The ambiance and the atmosphere in this beautiful really left an impression
on us.
|
"MANOLETE"
Manuel Rodrigez Sanchez
Born July 4th, 1917 |
| He began his career in 1935 and became the first toreador
in modern bullfighting. He was admired for his courage and his
passes called "manoletinas". With Manolete, modern bullfighting
was born.
On July 16th, 1947 he was mortally wounded by a bull called Isleño.
"No one will ever give as much to bullfighting as he did
", said many toreadors when he died. |
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