The inaugural concert takes place at the Palace of Charles V and features Pepe Romero, a renowned classical guitarist. Born in Málaga and residing in Granada, Romero began his career in the United States with the celebrated Cuarteto de los Romero, founded by his father, Celedonio Romero.
This recital is part of the 'Stradivarius of the Guitar' cycle, where international performers appear in Granada with some of history's finest guitars. The guitar used in this concert is a creation by Pepe Romero Jr., the concert artist's son, whose instruments have been used for some of the best recordings in guitar history, including those by Paco de Lucía.
Pepe Romero Jr. was exposed to historical instruments from his father's collection from childhood, such as those made by the legendary Antonio de Torres, Santos Hernández, and the German Hermann Hauser. His learning was also significantly influenced by the luthier school of Miguel Rodríguez. He has crafted nearly five hundred instruments that are played in major concert halls worldwide, and he has also successfully built ukuleles.
The program selected for the occasion offers a journey through some of the most celebrated composers in guitar history, including authors like Fernando Sor and Francisco Tárrega. It will also showcase guitar scores from the 20th century, highlighting works by Ángel Barrios and how Celedonio Romero, Pepe Romero's father, adapted romantic works by Schumann, Brahms, or Schubert for the six strings. This year's festival protagonist, Joaquín Rodrigo, will also be featured with his piece 'En tierras de Jerez'.
This work, composed in 1960 when he was already a world-famous artist, was dedicated to the Austrian guitarist Luise Walker. Although inspired by Jerez de la Frontera and typically Andalusian in ambiance, it should not be classified as flamenco but rather as a musical poem primarily inspired by the landscape, as is common in many of Rodrigo's works. The concert will conclude with the transcription of the famous 'Granada' by Isaac Albéniz, arranged by Pepe Romero himself, and the 'Suite Andaluza' by his father, Celedonio Romero.
The annual awards presented by the European Guitar Foundation, the festival's organizer, were initially scheduled before this concert but have been postponed to the performance on July 27 due to the mourning declared following the deaths in the Almería fire.
