The memory, the remembrance and the voice of Ico Arrocha flew over the Jameos del Agua Auditorium throughout the night in an act in which the singer's values were recognized in his defense and promotion of the music, folklore and traditions of the island of Lanzarote and in which, not only were the distinctions that accredit Federico Arrocha Hernández as Favorite Son of Lanzarote given to his family, but in which Canary Islands Day was also commemorated.
The act began with the interpretation of the Canary Islands Anthem by Pancho Corujo, with the entire audience of Jameos del Agua standing to listen to the young tenor from Lanzarote. The stalls, made up of family and friends of Ico Arrocha, authorities and representatives of the island's folk groups, fell silent before Corujo's torrent of voice.
Next, the presenter of the act, María del Pino Fuentes, welcomed all the attendees and gave way to the Guadarfía folk group, to which Ico Arrocha belonged all his life. The group from San Bartolomé performed three songs. The first of them "Tell me yes", a usual piece in Ico's repertoire, and which this time sounded in the voice of Blas Martínez. Then a folía with the soloists Quico Machín, Toñín García and Domingo Machín, to close with a seguidilla performed by Tito Perera, Pedro Cabrera and Fefo García.
Later, the presenter is in charge of reading the biography of Ico Arrocha, and that is when one of the most emotional moments of the night arrives, when an image of Ico Arrocha is projected and his voice, recorded, is heard, interpreting a folía.
Then, the Minister of Culture, Alberto Aguiar, is in charge of taking the stage and reading the minutes of the Plenary Session of the Cabildo de Lanzarote of last Monday, May 24, in which Federico Arrocha Hernández "Ico Arrocha" was designated, by unanimity of all the political groups represented in the Corporation, as Favorite Son of the Island of Lanzarote posthumously. Aguiar stated in his speech that Arrocha "was a person who shone with his own light, without being aware of it, with the humility and generosity of great men, always conveying a friendly image of this island, singing and telling of the fire of our volcanoes, of the meekness of the waters and of the spirit of the wind that characterizes Lanzarote."
Later, the presenter invites the president of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, María Dolores Corujo, to take the stage, who presented the family representatives with the distinctions, including the parchment with the title of Favorite Son and the Crab and the Gold Medal of the Cabildo de Lanzarote.
Those in charge of collecting the distinctions were Margarita Perera Betancor, Ico's widow, and her son Albano Arrocha Perera. Albano was in charge of speaking on behalf of the family. "You were, are and will be one of the most outstanding voices of our music. A reference for many, a school for some and admiration for everyone who came to listen to you. A magnificent singer, who made himself, and who did not lack any quality to get to the top: humility, simplicity, nobility and, on top of that, a prodigious throat. My father, a sensational person as a being and wonderful as a voice. A person whom all those present knew and admired," Albano asserted in his speech.
Arrocha's son wanted to close his speech with some verses that the verse maker Yeray Rodríguez once dedicated to Ico:
"Voice of volcano without border,
hidden island that emerges,
magnificent soundtrack,
of the conejero landscape.
That to the entire archipelago,
so much and so much would excite,
captivated by his clear throat of malvasía,
the same voice that Lanzarote would have
if he sang".
Later, the president of the Cabildo de Lanzarote read her institutional speech. María Dolores Corujo stated that "the merits contracted by Ico as a man of music, of folklore, are more than sufficiently accredited in the file of appointment as Favorite Son. Some merits that remain alive and present in our memory because it is impossible to forget his voice, the mastery with which he executed folías and seguidillas or the tenderness with which he undertook boleros. To the richness of his voice, to his mastery, to his love for Canarian popular music, we must add the value of the person", said the president.
María Dolores Corujo asked those present to join "the embrace that both as president of the Cabildo, as on a personal level, I wish to convey to the family, to his wife -Margarita-, to his son -Albano-, to his brothers, brothers-in-law, nephews, to his entire family... and also to the world of culture, folklore and to all those who cultivated his friendship or a moment of good music with the distinguished singer of Lanzarote", concluded Corujo.
Finally, and as the closing of the act, Pancho Corujo once again took the stage of Jameos del Agua to perform several songs. Accompanied by the pianist Juan Francisco Parra, Corujo sang, "Siete rosas" by Los Huaracheros and Antonio García Santamaría; "Tamabada" and "La noche de Arguineguín", by Néstor Álamo; and the pasodoble Islas Canarias, by Josep María Tarridas.
A golden touch for a special night in memory of Ico Arrocha.
