Music Takes Center Stage at 30th Los Silos Storytelling Festival

The 30th International Storytelling Festival of Los Silos, happening next Friday and Monday, will feature a strong focus on music. Alongside major shows like "Soldier's Tale" and "Chiribiri," the festival will host storytellers who use guitars or other instruments to accompany their tales, as well as various music-literary events. Tickets for all shows can be bought on the website cuentoslossilos.es.

Friday's Musical Events: On Friday, the festival kicks off with several musical activities. At 10:00 PM, by the old San Sebastián Convent, "A Walk Through 30 Years of Words" will take place. This event features Ernesto Rodríguez Abad, Diego Expósito Socas, Liliana Cinetto (Argentina), and Emilio Lome (Mexico). Aborá Cel Abreu will perform a specially composed song. Afterwards, a literary evening will be held in Plaza de la Luz, featuring the Nueva Unión Musical Group along with storytellers María Kapitán, Elvira Méndez, Andrés González Novoa, Juanma Moreno, Héctor Ruiz Verde, and Miguel García.

Saturday's Musical Highlights: Saturday offers a full day of musical storytelling. At 12:00 PM, Marta López will blend narration with music and song at "The Forest of Dreams" permanent exhibition in the Placeta hall. Later, at 5:30 PM in the same hall, Diego Expósito Socas and Ernesto Rodríguez Abad will present "Wandering Words: A Tribute to Ana María Matute," also incorporating music. In the evening, at 8:00 PM, "Halls of Music and Stories" begins outside Los Silos Town Hall. This unique tour will feature Tenerife artists Melani Simón, Aborá Cel, Germán Cuesto, Aníbal Llarena, and Hans Coello. The day concludes at 9:30 PM at Finca Quiñones with "Chiribiri," performed by Benito Cabrera, Tomás Fariña, Árgel Campos, and Ernesto Rodríguez Abad.

Sunday's Musical Highlights: Sunday starts with a family storytelling session, "Guitar-strumming Stories," led by Pampa Madrigal (Costa Rica) at the Health Center at 11:00 AM. Marta López will also perform again at "The Forest of Dreams" in the Placeta hall at 1:00 PM. The Tenerife Symphony Orchestra will present Ígor Stravinski's "Soldier's Tale" at 8:00 PM at the old San Sebastián Convent, with festival director Ernesto Rodríguez Abad narrating. For night owls, Juan Madrigal (Costa Rica) will use his guitar to accompany "Oral Narration in the Age of AI" at 11:30 PM.

Monday's Musical Highlights: The festival's musical program wraps up on Monday. Juan and Pampa Madrigal will lead the family storytelling session "Symphony of Happy Stories" at the Health Center, starting at 12:30 PM. Earlier in the day, at 11:00 AM, Fernando Cruz and David Duque will close the festival's musical activities in the natural area of Pina.

Throughout the festival, many storytellers, like traditional minstrels, will spontaneously use instruments to enhance their tales, even if not specifically announced.