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Thursday, February 15, 2007
Carnaval Queen Gala Leaves Bitter Taste
Whilst it was probably a fact that, after all the controversy that led up to it, many went to the gala already predisposed to dislike it, I doubt that even Rafael Amargo's worst critics could have expected such an insulting, pathetic and ridiculous bungle.
Or, to put it in the words of one viewer, "Rafael Amargo should be led out at dawn and shot! It was so bad it was funny." Believe it too: I sat through last night's 3 hour, 40 minute spectacle, transfixed, thinking it could never get any worse - but it did.
That it kept getting worse and worse was it's only consistent feature.
Public opinion seems to be unanimous in this evaluation of the event and, even the mayor of Santa Cruz, Miguel Zerolo, who participated in a phone-in program on TV this morning said it was a "fracaso" (failure) and was more like an Operación Triunfo gala than a Carnaval Gala. Obviously, he recognized the wisdom of saying that first, before he was publicly lynched over it. Just as Rafael Amargo himself must have concluded, having, reportedly, left the venue 45 minutes before the gala's end.
Video: How today's news reports also called it a ridiculous spectacle. On the positive side, you do get to see the winning Carnaval Queen briefly, with her costume of electric lights, entitled "Miss Dior". Negative: Belén Esteban in a pink leotard.
The public booed and whistled and the winning murga group, Los Diablos Locos (The Crazy Devils), even refused to participate and walked off the stage during the live event. This was one of the public's favorite parts of the show. (And mine too!)
Video: Los Diablos Locos walk off and the crowd goes wild.
Then the public booed the dance troupe, Los Cariocas, who followed them, because they did participate. Unfairly, I think, as I did notice that they (or someone) had decided to bring the most "buxom" girls on first - obviously in pointed defiance of Amargo's "castings" to weed out the fat ones and the ones who can't dance.
Whilst I won't criticize anyone's individual performance (I've been on stage enough times myself), what was clear was that there were too many acts, they were not of the "international calibre" we expected - neither Rosa, nor Gloria Gaynor, nor an "international artist" materialized - most of them had nothing whatsoever to do with Carnaval either and, the whole show was disjointed with pregnant pauses or murdered in cold blood by the wrong style of music, wrong tempo, at all the wrong times.
I lied. I will criticize the performance of Belén Esteban, the show's all time low point. She didn't so much emulate Madona, as emulate a pole dancer in a sleazy club. She was embarrassing cavorting in a pink leotard and about as sexy as a wet fish.
They managed to have five presenters, sorry six if you add Bibiana Fernández (Bibí Andersen), along with the unannounced Xavi Deltell (who could have done it much better alone), yet, the candidates for the title of Carnaval Queen had to announce themselves, via videos. They say that the sound on those was so bad in the congress center that it left people none the wiser, well, it wasn't much better on TV either.
If they'd started the show with the "Fashionistas" number, which brought together regular Carnaval characters, such as Fidel Castro and Miss Piggy, with the catwalk models to go with the Fashion theme, to the song performed by Claritzel and Sandra Love, put short performances by the various Carnaval groups into the judges' deliberation interlude and dumped the rest, it would have all worked.
At the end of the show, the envelope with the winners was delayed for some time, Bibí practically had to calm an imminent riot from the crowd and the eventual announcement of the winner - Elizabet Garcia representing El Dia - was so overshadowed by all that went before as to look like an afterthought.
Video: The end of the fiasco as Bibi calls for calm.
If anyone did catch this awful spectacle on international TV channels, all I can hope is that they switched over quickly enough so that the images will not have left a lasting impression. If you did see it, this was not representative of Tenerife's Carnaval.
Boos and whistles greet Tenerife's Carnaval Queen Gala
Abucheos en la gala de la Reina de Tenerife
Una gala con sabor amargo
Labels: Carnaval
