A literary ritual
Latin-American literature is one of the main characters of the Madrid Book Fair with writers like the Equatorian Mónica Ojeda. We chat to her about her latest novel: ‘Chamanes eléctricos en la fiesta del sol’.
Comedians Joaquín Reyes and Ernesto Sevilla filled Espacio Iberia with laughter.
Espacio Iberia welcomes talent with open arms. Since it opened, it has hosted a series of events with big names from the world of literature, music, theatre, sports, and comedy. Hundreds of attendees, who responded by actively taking part, have had the opportunity to be inspired and, at the same time, enjoy guest interventions.
Espacio Iberia opened its doors on the 17th of April in Madrid (Gran Vía, 48) and its 1,100 m2 have welcomed big names from the world of culture and sports, like comedians Joaquín Reyes and Ernesto Sevilla, writers Mónica Ojeda and Laura Fernández, athlete Ray Zapata or the band Hidrogenesse, among others. Already considered a meeting point for talent, let’s go over the events held at Espacio Iberia during these first weeks.
Radio en directo: Julia en la onda [Live radio programme] (18th of April)
Journalist Julia Otero, alongside the rest of her team, came to Espacio Iberia to host her radio programme Julia en la onda (Onda Cero). The broadcast included Beatriz Rioja, Iberia’s brand manager, who shared with listeners the new features the space offers this year and gave a preview of some of the activities that will be hosted there. “Our challenge was to keep surprising the audience. To keep innovating is a responsibility,” she assured us. María Jesús López, Commercial Director of Iberia, also took part by highlighting the experiences on offer at Espacio Iberia.
Dramatised reading in Spanish: Birds of a Kind (20th of April)
Actresses Somaya Taoufiki, Claudia Coelho, and Astrid Jones, alongside actor Yasser Doutroi, who belong to the racialised group at the Academia de las Artes Escénicas de España (AAEE), gathered at Espacio Iberia for a dramatised reading. The selected work was Birds of a Kind by Wajdi Mouawad, a Lebanese-Canadian playwright and author of the acclaimed Scorched. The activity, in which poet Artemisa Semedo also took part, is aligned with one of the Academia’s goals, to leave stereotypes behind, and took place a few days before the Talía Awards.
Somaya Taoufiki, Claudia Coelho, Astrid Jones, Yasser Doutroi and Artemisa Samedo are applauded by the audience.
Participants in the round table discussion highlighted the richness and cultural diversity that the Latino community brings to the scene.
Laughter can improve your social life, according to comedians Joaquín Reyes and Ernesto Sevilla.
The events hosted at Espacio Iberia are welcomed by a large audience.
Creación y gestión teatral en Latinoamérica [Theatre creation and management in Latin America] (21st of April)
As the precursor of the second edition of the Talía Awards, Iberia, and Academia de Artes Escénicas de España (AAEE) organised a round table on the situation of theatre within the Spanish-speaking community from the Americas. Born in such diverse places as the United States, Mexico, Uruguay or Argentina, the participants, including winners of the first edition of the Talía Awards, such as Paula Marull and María Marull —best Latin American show—, and nominees from the second, such as Gabriela Ochoa, shared their experiences.
Aprenda a reírse en público: taller para mejorar su vida social [Learn how to laugh in public: workshop to improve your social life] (23rd of April)
Gran Vía filled with laughter from number 48, during the meeting between two of the most well-loved comedians in the country: Joaquín Reyes and Ernesto Sevilla, former members of the iconic group Muchachada Nui. After being friends for years, specifically since they crossed paths while studying Fine Arts, they shared some simple (and amusing) tips to keep friendship alive, with humour being an essential ingredient if used properly. Because knowing how to tell a funny story is just as important as knowing when to tell it.
Damas, caballeros y chamanes eléctricos: una cita lectora a ciegas [Ladies, gentlemen, and electric shamans: a blind reading date] (25th of April)
Equatorian writer Mónica Ojeda, one of the main characters in the current boom of Latin-American female writers thanks to novels like Jawbone or the recent Chamanes eléctricos en la fiesta del sol, and Spanish writer Laura Fernández, author of the acclaimed La señora Potter no es exactamente Santa Claus and Damas, caballeros y planetas, met for the first time at Espacio Iberia. During their talk, which started with them gifting each other a book and a rose for Saint George’s Day, they shared the keys to their female universes and their devotion to neogothic literature.
Laughter can improve your social life, say comedians Joaquín Reyes and Ernesto Sevilla.
Isa Calderón and Lucía Lijtmaer, who head the podcast ‘Deforme semanal’, told their most fun travel anecdotes.
Carlos Ballesteros and Genís Segarra, from the duo Hidrogenesse, shared their creative process with attendees.
Gymnast Ray Zapata, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo Games and is a member of the Talento a Bordo Team, dreams of another success in Paris.
Pasajeras en tránsito: la (loca) aventura de viajar con Isabel Calderón y Lucía Lijtmaer [Passengers in transit: the (crazy) adventure of travelling with Isabel Calderón and Lucía Lijtmaer] (30th of April)
Scriptwriter Isa Calderón and journalist and writer Lucía Lijtmaer have headed the successful podcast Deforme semanal for the last eight years, a time in which they have won two Onda Awards and spent hundreds of hours of airtime together, either for work or pleasure. During the gathering, they spoke about their travel experiences and shared their most fun travel anecdotes. Because who better than them, with their unique blend of culture, humour, and feminism, to turn the adventure of travel into a hilarious tale.
Iberia Talento a Bordo Team: meeting with Ray Zapata (7th of May)
Gymnast Ray Zapata won the silver medal at the Tokyo Games after an incredible floor performance. When the spotlights turned off, he considered quitting. After a period of reflection, this Spanish-Dominican athlete decided to carry on and fight to repeat his success in Paris. Full of incomparable charm, Ray has reached his full sporting potential and shared what his humble beginnings in gymnastics were like, why mental health is so important in sports, and what his feelings are towards the upcoming Games.
Arrancar una canción, hacer que la canten: así compone Hidrogenesse [Bursting into song, making people sing: this is how Hidrogenesse writes] (9th of May)
The unique, restless, and creative Hidrogenesse define themselves as an “electronic art-rock duo, composers of populist pop songs, producers of romantic-sexual mantras, authors of situational floor fillers, performers of the mystic-cosmic genre...” No small feat. Because Carlos Ballesteros and Genís Segarra have spent more than two decades surprising us. Their latest success: creating songs for the series La Mesías played by the fictional band Stella Maris. At Espacio Iberia, they revealed the mysteries behind their songwriting process at a unique musical event.
