Viva prima donnas

Today's focus on Spain turns (inevitably) to the divas. Spain produces many of them, particularly since one of the most popular musical forms is the Copla - a dramatic vocal style that combines the fire of Flamenco with histrionics of which Dame Shirley Bassey would be proud. Over the years, many of these grande dames have commanded incredible adulation, none more so than Rocio Jurado.



Big-haired Andalucian uber-Diva Rocio Jurado's career started in the 60’s and never went away. There was mass hysteria in Spain when she sadly died of cancer in June 2006, with crowds lining the streets at her funeral.

According to a travel reviewer in Notes on Spain:

"Universally loved by everyone (passports can be officially revoked just for saying a bad word about her), and known as La Más Grande (that’s "The Greatest", and not "The Biggest" as I originally thought they were rudely calling her!), this woman’s voice has been known to shift small planets from their orbit. Despite her death, her celebrity lives on."

Más Grande indeed!



A more modern diva is one of our current favourites, Monica Naranjo, whose histrionics and melodrama hit a whole new level, crossing pop and Copla with operatic styling. For Spanish gays, she is even more popular than her French diva-equivalent Mylene Farmer!

I have blogged about both ladies before, but I could not resist posting this duet between the older and the newer diva, for your delectation...

Rocío Jurado & Monica Naranjo - Punto de partida