The contest of musical groups of the Santa Cruz Carnival it resents The group, which has been the one with the least number of people at the Fairgrounds for years, faces a bigger problem this year: Salsabor and Los Yuppies, who were part of Carnival until 2022, will not be on stage tonight, where, Starting at 8:00 p.m., the contest will take place.
With the loss of these two formations and with the brake that supposes that the last musical group was founded in 2011, the contest, which some time ago had more than 15 formations, will only have the participation of seven, which, in order of performance , will be: Siboney, Nobleza Canaria, Caña Dulce, Teiderife, Sabor Isleño, Cantares Luz de Luna and Chaxiraxi.
The question that arises is: is the contest in danger of extinction? From the Autonomous Organization of Parties and Recreational Activities, its manager, Alfonso Cabello, at the moment does not conceive that the contest will disappear from the carnival schedule, although he admits that some adjustments must be made. However, the groups are not so clear.
Manuel Bartolomé, representative of Cantares Luz de Luna, is not at all optimistic. “I have said that, in a couple of years, seeing how we are doing, the musical groups will disappear. It is something that I think they also want from Fiestas, because we are not generating money for them ”.
From Siboney, Carolina Hernández is of the same opinion, therefore, to the question posed as to whether they are in danger of extinction, the answer is clear, “yes”. She adds that “taking into account that this year two are missing, and for next year there are already some formations that we are considering not leaving, the risk seems clear.”
Most of the groups participating in this edition share the idea that the contest is not in good health, an opinion that Cabello also agrees with, who points out: “Obviously, it is one of the contests in which we have to continue reflecting, We know that he is not the one in the best health right now.” But he adds that they must continue working “to rejuvenate it and adapt the model.”
Tano Mújica, representative of Chaxiraxi, demands more support from the capital’s City Council. “We need total support from the Fiestas so that the groups don’t die, because if not, in the end, we’ll be left with two, and it’s a shame,” he says.
Possible solutions
The solution is still uncertain, although the groups as a whole point out that the contest needs more publicity by the Fiestas, more visibility in the media so that this discipline is known and live broadcast on television.
Pedro Ortega, representative of Sabor Isleño, also indicates other reasons: “The problem is that we are going to see all the contests, and the rest of the groups are not going to see us”, which justifies, on the other hand, arguing that “The day, after the murgas final, is complicated”.
Alfonso Cabello believes that the solution must be built “jointly”. “We need to get together sooner rather than later and we need to approach it fearlessly. Open the melon of what the problem is, where we are failing and how we can improve ”, he argues.
The groups, for their part, intend to meet in search of solutions, as Carolina Hernández affirms: “We should sit down well in advance of Carnival and come up with ideas.”
For the moment, tonight, the seven formations that continue betting on the Carnival, with all the effort that it entails, will go up on the stage of the Fairgrounds. The presenters Wendy Fuentes and Pedro Machín will be in charge of conducting this event, where the public can access by purchasing tickets for one euro, which are sold at the box office.
