Going medieval in Elche
THE 24TH Elche medieval festival – featuring theatre, music and dance – begins tomorrow (Saturday, October 26) and continues throughout the week until Sunday, November 3.
In addition to the festival, there is also be a medieval market with more than 150 stalls and dramatised entertainment, which is open in the historic town centre until Sunday, October 27.
A new addition to this year’s event is the Encuentro café, a place which is designed to create an ‘encounter point’ for the public and the performers to share ideas and opinions.
The café opens at 16.00 daily and is situated near the ‘vertical garden’ at La Calahorra historic building.
Here are details of some
of the highlights:
Saturday, October 26
23.00: Dramatised recital of music from the Misteri d’Elx, entitled Prodigio. Milagro. Misteri (prodigy. Miracle. Mystery) by Canticum Novum at Las Clarisas culture centre in the Santa Clara convent. Free admission
Wednesday, October 30
17.00 and 19.00: Medieval combat show entitled Santa Bárbara/La hija de Don Alvar at Plaza Congreso Eucarístico 21.30: National premier of the dance and music production entitled Diez Sonetos by Otra Danza de Asun Noales based on the sonnets of Garcilaso de la Vega, at Las Clarisas culture centre in the Santa Clara convent. Free admission
Thursday, October 31
13.00, 17.00 and 20.00: Medieval combat show entitled Santa Bárbara/La hija de Don Alvar at the Plaza Congreso Eucarístico
18.30: Medieval music concert entitled Ubi Sunt: Musicas en torno a la llegada de la peste a la Europa medieval (music about the arrival of the plague in Europe) by Artefactum at Las Clarisas culture centre in the Santa Clara convent. Free admission
Friday, November 1
18.00: Medieval music parade with La Danserye ensemble leaving from San Sebastián hermitage
18.30: Dramatised recital of music from the Misteri d’Elx, entitled Prodigio. Milagro. Misteri (Prodigy. Miracle. Mystery) by Canticum Novum at San Sebastián hermitage. Free admission
Saturday, November 2
10.00: Guided tour looking at the coats of arms of prominent Elche families leaving from Plaza de Baix. In Spanish with a maximum group size of 70 people
13.00 and 20.00: Artistic sword fighting display at Plaza Congreso Eucarístico 13.00 and 20.00: Medieval music parade with La Danserye ensemble leaving from La Glorieta
18.30: Traditional music concert entitled Le Doulce Tourment. El amor cortés en la música (courteous love in music), by the baroque chamber ensemble La Galería del Claroscuro. Las Clarisas culture centre in the Santa Clara convent. Free admission 24.00: Pyro-musical display at Plaza Congreso Eucarístico
Sunday, November 3
10.00: Guided tour looking at the coats of arms of prominent Elche families leaving from Plaza de Baix. In Spanish with a maximum group size of 70 people
11.00: Artistic sword fighting display at Plaza Congreso Eucarístico 12.00: Closing ceremony with La Danserye ensemble at Plaza Mayor del Raval
18.00: Historic sacred music concert with La Danserye ensemble and the Nihil Obstat chorus at the Santa María basilica