With the fireworks set off last night and the lights of the fair turned off until next April, Seville woke up on Sunday with the bullfighting echoes of the previous afternoon and the division of opinions that triumphs always provoke, even more so if these are the so-called figures, case of Roca Rey. And it’s good to talk about bulls.
It also happens that bullfighting terms permeate everyday language even among those who hate bullfighting, including politicians. And among those bullfighting expressions, one: charge like a miura. Synonym of bravery, warning of danger.
And Miura were – according to tradition – the bulls announced to close the April Fair. Miura, a legendary ranch with the names of its bulls that for better – triumphs – or for worse – tragedies, like that of Islero and Manolete – mark the history of bullfighting. Triumph, for example more recent with the cattle that graze in Zahariche such as that of Manuel Escribano in La Maestranza the previous season and that this Sunday, still convalescing from the wounds of his heroic afternoon on the 13th (a clamorous welcome ovation) , took the walk. along with El Fandi and Esaú Fernández, before an audience – let’s say – different from that of previous afternoons.
Opening Plaza El Fandi, 24 years since the alternative and, unlike his fellow posters, the first time that the Granada bullfighter faced the Miurea currency, frustrated by an injury that was announced the year before on this same stage.
And El Fandi with gayola to receive the first miura, with a long change and veronicas at the same pigsty door. Third of rods that the bull took with good stride and firmness.
El Fandi invited Escribano to flag and the third was spectacular and meritorious. And the bull El Fandi gave Escribano a hug, including a hug between companions.
Bull with mobility, which charged better through the right piton but with a short route and El Fandi’s task in which he used technical capacity and with the virtue of brevity.
El Fandi made another trip to the pigsty door to greet the fourth man who, standing before him, forced him to abandon his idea of the long knee change and stand up to deal with it with effective attacks.
Banderillas again fifty-fifty with Escribano and showing off both. The bull arrived at the muleta charging with vibration and replenishing between passes and El Fandi stood up to him with resources and good work, there was no room for trifles. Maestro Tejera’s band knew how to recognize him and started playing.
He stabbed the sword high and up to the hilt, he was also asked for his ear but it was a return to the ring, on a very serious afternoon at El Fandi.
Manuel Escribano, it would be more necessary, also went to wait at the second in the afternoon at the bullpen gate and held out for an eternity until the imposing miura (596 kg spread over his wide anatomy) decided to attend his appointment to make the long change. . While standing, he calmly calmed down and even allowed himself to look at the prone person at some point. The picador was applauded after two measured and high blows.
Third of banderillas also in duet Escribano and El Fandi, highlighting the last pair of Manuel, at the break in the violin modality. A great ovation from the public was the mutual gratitude in the toast from the media. And right there, two passes exchanged behind the back as the start of the task.
The bull charged with its face high and Escribano, very firm and quoting at the precise distance, knew how to carry it on the muleta through the two pitons in short batches culminated with chest passes throughout the bull-thorazo in front, with a final round series very temperate, to the chords of Suspiros de España.
All of it was done in the middle and the bull was more closed in the stripes, the faulty thrust detracted from what had been done, but it did not prevent the final ovation.
Fourth porta gayola of the afternoon (by dint of repeating it, the trance detracts) in Escribano’s receipt to the fifth, followed by two long changes already in another terrain and also banderillas halfway with El Fandi, to the chords of Puerta Grande, Elvira Czech, Cuenca-Catalan. And Escribano who toasted the band, before calling the bull from the media and starting to fight in a circle and then naturally trying to lengthen his attacks, but Miura’s bull was not up to the task and chose to shorten it.
The third, a train, gave Esaú Fernández no options to shine with the cape and nothing happened in the first two thirds, the banderillas being difficult, with the bull master of the situation.
Esau faced the challenge by trying left and right until, with merit, a bull-bullfighter give and take, he achieved a series of right blows and some natural ones and with the sword he got it right the first time. Handkerchiefs appeared on the lines, the user counted a sufficient majority and listened to the song.
Esaú Fernández did not want to be less than his teammates and also directed his steps towards the bullpens, where the last Miura came out and the long exchange was clean. Applauded third of rods with the bull starting long and firmly on the horse.
The Miura put the banderilleros in trouble and Esau called El Fandi and Escribano to give them the last bull of the Fair, which turned out to be a asset, always on the lookout. And Esau took him away from him.
Thus ended an April Fair in which the great response of the public was rewarded with great afternoons, important bulls and triumphs of the bullfighters, as a balance in broad strokes and nuances on the side.