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Image: Sergio Betancort
The humorist Matías Alonso did not disappoint in his performance before the
Arrecife carnival-goers and kicked off the Arrecife Carnival last night with a
proclamation full of references to the city, humor galore and lots of
color. After a masterful interpretation by the tenor Ricardo
Pistero of the popular song "Por ti viviré" by Andrea Bocelli from the
tower of the Castle of San Gabriel, the doors of the fortress were opened
Ginés appearing disguised as a doctor: "Aaah, it's just that they told me that the
Carnival was about operating and I asked for this costume from
to Dr. José Molina Orosa since December 2006".
Later, and already with Ginés' clothing, being warned that
the theme of the Arrecife 2011 Carnival was opera and not the
operating rooms, Chona's brother, with a distracted air and large doses of
laziness, spoke of his experiences in the city of Arrecife, and of his
carnivals, "one of the most important and with the longest history in
Canary Islands". Thus, during his proclamation he cited the orchestra of Suso and family, the
Chimida band or the murga Los Tabletuos, without forgetting Los Buches or
the Diabletes de Teguise "who have given me good blows".
The moment of his imitation of the King of Spain was one of the funniest
of the night, along with the numerous jokes he interspersed with the proclamation.
The famous and international "why don't you shut up" by Don Juan Carlos to
the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, or His Majesty's operation without
first going through the long waiting lists that most of us suffer
citizens, were some of the most hilarious episodes of the proclamation
of the Arrecife 2011 Carnival.
The most popular character of Matías Alonso from the En Clave de Ja program of
Canarian Television, Ginés, also referred to his ancestors on the
Island, taking a look at the dome of the parish of San Ginés, which
looked splendid last night, or to the Almacén area, where he said he would go
dance at Carnival.
Francisco José, the 'unofficial herald'
But, without a doubt, Alonso sang with his imitation of the well-known radio broadcaster
radio broadcaster from Radio Lanzarote Francisco José Navarro, who was present among the public,
and who in the end was the 'unofficial herald' of the capital's Carnival, with the
reading of a proclamation in which funeral obituaries were mixed with
the festive events and the countless tributes to which Francisco José
Navarro gave voice.
At the end, the mayor of Arrecife, Cándido Reguera, and the councilor of
Festivities, Eduardo Lasso, disguised for the occasion, went up to the
stage and presented the town crier with a craft from the Puente de las Bolas,
in memory of the city. The mayor took advantage of that moment to
congratulate all the participants in the Arrecife Carnival and wish
the people of Arrecife a good carnival "where we combine rest with
fun".
For his part, the Canarian humorist encouraged the audience to enjoy
of these days of festivities and to leave their worries parked until the
end of the holidays.
Once the proclamation was over, many admirers of the popular actor
wanted to take pictures with Ginés, including Francisco José Navarro,
who congratulated the actor on his brilliant performance.
The reading of the proclamation by Ginés was attended by
numerous public, in addition to the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Pedro
San Ginés, and an important representation of the capital corporation,
headed by its mayor, Cándido Reguera, and the Councilor for Festivities,
Eduardo Lasso, who did not want to miss this original start to the carnival
carnival.
Stargate staging
Students from the Fashion Dance School also participated in the event
School and the musical group Pasarelles, formed by Javier and Iya, who
delighted the audience with their dances and music until the arrival
to Calle Real of the Batucada Villa Pipol. After starring in a
surprising scene from the movie Stargate, an allegory of his costume, to the
height of the old Cabildo, the components of this Batucada, a reference of the
Arrecife Carnival, directed with their carnival music, dances and fires
artificial to the numerous residents of the capital who last night
approached the Castle of San Gabriel to enjoy the beginning of the
carnestolendas of the capital.