The centenary of the death of Benito Pérez Galdós (1843-1920) that is celebrated all this year reaches its climax with the Jornadas Galdosianas that will be held from October 26 to November 11 in three cities that marked the life of the best Spanish novelist of the 20th century: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santander and Madrid. Under the title Historiar el futuro, the multidisciplinary program will include round tables, conferences and an exhibition at the Cervantes Institute related to the author, and will have as a culmination a gala at the Teatro Real in Madrid.
The literary historian and literary critic José Carlos Mainer, professor emeritus of Spanish Literature at the University of Zaragoza, is the curator of these days organized by the Ministry of the Presidency, Relations with the Courts and Democratic Memory, the Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Cervantes Institute, Spanish Cultural Action AC/E and the Autonomous Communities of the Canary Islands and Cantabria, with the collaboration of the Royal Theater.
The Galician Days will begin next Monday, October 26 in Las Palmas, the writer’s hometown, with a presentation (in the Guiniguada theater, 18 h) by the president of the Canary Islands Government, Ángel Víctor Torres; the Secretary of State for Democratic Memory, Fernando Martínez López, and the executive president of Acción Cultural Española, José Andrés Torres Mora.
Then (18:30 h) the director of the Cervantes Institute and poet Luis García Montero, will give the inaugural conference: “The reality of a hope. Galdós, memory and poetry». It will be followed by the round table “The Legacy of Galdós”, with the participation of the writers Rafael Reig, Antonio Orejudo and Marta Sanz.
On Wednesday 28th, the witness will take the city of Santander, which will host (Palacio de Festivals, 18 h) a presentation by the Secretary General of Culture and the Vice-President of the Government of Cantabria, followed (18:30 h) by the conference of the historian Manuel Suárez Cortina «Galdós and political life: crisis end of century and republican militancy».
The day in the Cantabrian capital will conclude (20 h) with the round table “Galdose Perspectives”, in which Carmen Menéndez Onrubia, Pura Fernández and Julio Neira will discuss.
Presentation and exhibition at Cervantes
On Thursday 29, the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute, in Madrid (c/ Barquillo, 4), will be the scene of several events: the official presentation of the programming, with the presence of the first vice-president of the Government, Carmen Calvo; the director of the Cervantes Institute, Luis García Montero, two conferences, a round table and the inauguration of an exhibition dedicated to the creator of the famous National Episodes.
After the presentation (12 h), the researcher Eusebio Fernández García will deliver the lecture “Tolerance as a democratic virtue. Galdós from a current perspective”.
In the afternoon (19 h), the historian José Álvarez Junco will talk about “Galdós and Spanish nationalism”, after which three of the great experts in the author of Fortunata and Jacinta, Yolanda Arencibia, Germán Gullón and Joseph-Carlos Mainer, will talk at the round table “Wise readers of Galdós”. The activities at the Cervantes Institute can be followed live on the internet (streaming).
And at 20:30 h the exhibition “The reality of a hope” will be inaugurated. Galdós, memory and poetry”, whose curator Luis García Montero. Almost 120 pieces are shown, among manuscripts, first editions, periodicals and documents from various institutions and private collections. The public will be able to visit it at the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute from October 30 to January 31.
The Jornadas Galdosianas will have their final brooch at the Teatro Real, on November 11 (20 h), with the closing gala “Benito Pérez Galdós. Historian of the future».
It will include recitals and readings of the work of Don Benito by Ana Belén, José Coronado, Carlos Hipolito and José Manuel Seda. The session, under the artistic direction of José Carlos Plaza, will feature Rosa Torres Pardo at the piano. In addition, from that day, the Teatro Real will permanently show a commemorative signage of the Galdós year.