Dance and music from all over the world are shown at the Cantonigròs International Music Festival

Santa Maria de Corcó (CNA).- Sounds and folkloric dances from all over the world have been heard in the opening of the 28th edition of the Cantonigròs’ International Music Festival. This small village in the Catalan county of Osona (central Catalonia) is hosting from Thursday to Sunday a total of 42 groups, from choirs to dance companies, coming from 24 different countries such as China, the Philippines, Mexico and Russia. The opening concert was performed by the Philippine choir of the University of Santo Tomas Singers and the Ukrainian folk group Rovesnik. The Cantonigròs festival is one of the musical referents of Central Catalonia’s summer, with more than 500 volunteers contributing to its success.
In its 28th edition, Mexico is the guest country for its first time. There are a total of 24 countries represented in the festival. Since its first edition, this festival has hosted more than 81 different countries. The President of the Cantonigròs International Music Festival, Josep Maria Busquets, has pointed out the work of the 500 volunteers of the festival, saying that “without them, the festival could not happen”.

The large amounts of participants of groups from various countries are being hosted in the homes of 800 families from the 25 villages of the county.This exchange is, according to Busquets, an “integrative element” and fosters “social relations” between different cultures.

According to Busquets, the artistic level of the performances as well as the organisation of the festival is evaluated by an international jury. This jury has valued the organisation of Cantonigròs as “very positive”.

The crisis has not eluded the festival and the budget has been reduced 15%. In addition, the President of the festival has vindicated the free lease of the land “to build equipment suitable for a festival of such characteristics”.