The Carnival
of Cádiz is one of the best-known carnivals in Spain. The whole city
participates in the carnival for more than two weeks each year, and the
presence of this fiesta is almost constant in the city because of the
rehearsals, recitals, and contests held throughout the year.
It is a
widely-held opinion that the city of Cádiz is blessed with the wittiest people
in Spain, so it is not surprising that the main
characteristics of the carnival in Cádiz are the acerbic criticisms, the droll
plays on words, stinging sarcasm, and the irreverence of parody. While some
carnivals, elsewhere in the world, stress the spectacular, the glamorous, or
the scandalous in costumes, Cádiz distinguishes itself with the sheer
cleverness and fertile imagination of its carnival attire. It is traditional to
paint the face as a humble substitute for a mask.
It is easy to
get involved in the fiesta even if one is a visitor and knows no Spanish. On
Saturday, everyone wears a costume, which, many times, is related to the most
polemical aspects of the news. However, the Carnival of Cádiz is most famous
for the satirical groups of performers called chirigotas. Their music and their
lyrics are in the centre of the carnival.
The most
famous groups are the chirigotas, the choirs, and the comparsas.
The chirigotas
are well-known witty and satiric groups that train for the whole year to sing
about politics, topics in the news, and everyday circumstances, while all of
the members wear identical costumes. There is an official competition in Teatro
Falla, where many of them compete for a group award. Their songs are all
original compositions and are full of satire and wit. Each chirigota – whether
a professional group or one made up of family members, friends or colleagues –
has a wide repertoire of songs. They sing in the streets and squares, at
improvised venues like outdoor staircases or portals, and in established
open-air tablaos (tableaux) organized by the carnival clubs.
The choirs
(coros) are larger groups that travel through the streets on open flat-bed
carts or wagons, singing, with a small ensemble of guitars and lutes. Their
characteristic composition is the "Carnival Tango", and they
alternate between comical and serious repertory, with special emphasis on
lyrical homages to the city and its people. The costumes are, by far, the most
sophisticated and elaborate of all.
The comparsas are the serious counterparts to the chirigotas in Cádiz. Poetic lyrics and criticisms
are their main ingredients. They usually tend to have a more elaborate
polyphony, and they are easily recognized by the typical countertenor voice.
Other groups
can be found in the streets: the quartets (cuartetos), that, oddly, can be
composed of five, four, or three members. They don't bring a guitar, only a
kazoo and two sticks, that they use to mark the rhythm. They use set-piece
theater scenes (pre-written skits), improvisations, and music, and they are
purely comical.
The minimalist
carnival groups in Cádiz are the romanceros, perhaps the oldest, and,
certainly, the most invariant carnival representation in Cádiz throughout
history. A romancero is a single costumed person who brings a big easel on
which posters help him to tell a story with images. The romancero recites
humorous verses while pointing at aspects of the pictures and drawings with a
long stick.
