linkEyebrows were raised when ex-councillor of fiestas Bruno Piqué decided to name flamenco dancer Rafael Amargo from mainland Spain, to direct the Carnival Gala, paying him the enviable sum of one million euros. In all these years the local directors had been paid only 120.000 euros, but this year they wanted something different, glamorous and innovative, to raise the standard of the gala to European standards.
The only thing that can be said about this year's event was that it was certainly different.
Rafael Amargo (aptly named it would seem) started off by saying that he would not have hundreds of people on stage to fill it up and that this year no fat women or short people would be allowed on stage. He also mentioned that the traditional murgas, comparsas and rondallas would only go on stage if he thought they were up to (his) standard.
