The plenary session of the Puente Genil City Council unanimously approved on Thursday the proposal by the Councilor for Culture, María Delgado, to rename the Teatro Circo. The venue will henceforth be known as Teatro Circo Antonio Fernández Díaz Fosforito, in recognition of the local artist and a prominent figure in flamenco history.
This initiative coincides with the dedication of the LX Festival de Cante Grande Fosforito to the singer, an edition particularly marked by the artist's recent passing. During the plenary session, Councilor for Culture María Delgado highlighted the "extraordinary artistic and human dimension" of Fosforito, defining him as a profound connoisseur, tireless promoter, and staunch defender of flamenco tradition, whose mastery decisively contributed to consolidating flamenco as a first-rate cultural manifestation.
Among the numerous accolades received by Antonio Fernández Díaz, who passed away last November, are the Golden Key of Cante (Llave de Oro del Cante), the highest distinction in flamenco, and his historic victory at the 1956 Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco de Córdoba, where he became the only singer in history to win first prize in all flamenco style categories.
For the Puente Genil City Council, the career of Antonio Fernández Díaz Fosforito represents the pinnacle of local flamenco. In addition to his brilliant artistic career, the Council has paid tribute to his legacy with the Antonio Fernández Díaz Fosforito Promenade and the annual organization of the Festival de Cante Grande bearing his name. Furthermore, the maestro presided over the jury of the young talents contest Membrillo de Oro for years, contributing to the discovery and promotion of new generations of flamenco artists.
With this plenary agreement, initially proposed by the mayor of Puente Genil, Sergio Velasco, just days after the artist's death, Puente Genil perpetuates the memory of one of its most illustrious sons, forever linking the name of Antonio Fernández Díaz Fosforito to one of the town's main cultural venues.
