Fallas 2014 - Quinta de Abono

The view from the sofa - my thoughts on corridas I have watched on TV

13/03/2014 Fuente Ymbro Toros – Antonio Ferrera, Joselito Adame & Jiménez Fortes

Today began the week long sequence of uninterrupted corridas de toros at Las Fallas. For the occasion, a string of the always interesting Fuente Ymbro bulls awaited Antonio Ferrera (who performed only five days after suffering a serious goring in Olivenza), Joselito Adame and Jiménez Fortes. The principal negative note at the paseillo was the bare appearance of the tendidos; I fully understand that going to the bulls for nine consecutive days requires a great deal of effort, and a not insignificant economic outlay. Its therefore logical that the public flock to the, a priori, more interesting carteles featuring the figuras, however, the fiesta must find a way to ensure that the types of carteles offered today congregate more than a small fraction of the plaza’s capacity (I appreciate the irony that I am writing this from my desk after watching the corrida on TV, but, unless anyone can find it in their heart or pocket to give me a full time job writing about toros, I am unfortunately confined to watching corridas from a distance).

Those that stayed away missed Jiménez Fortes’ triumphant performance. Fortes bases his tauromaquia on utter stillness and passing the bull as closely as possible to his own body – you never know how much control he has over the bull, but his toreo is exciting. He showed this concept from his very first intervention in the corrida, a quite of three isolated but chilling chicuelinas that conveyed emotion through the proximity of horn to thigh rather than through their aesthetic.

He cut an ear from his first bull, despite the two descabellos needed to finish the bull. Although this is testament to the generosity of the Valencia crowd, the faena itself was rousing and would have merited an ear had the kill been cleaner. Fortes began the faena by estatuarios in the centre of the ring. I would have preferred a beginning that exerted dominance and control over the bull, but I cannot deny that this start was rousing. He tried to continue with toreo fundamental in the centre of the ring, but the bull was quickly rajado and headed to tablas. Given the manso condition of the bull, series en redondo were impossible, but Fortes managed to execute some pleasing figure of eight toreo, turning into ojedimso, and finished his work with some frightening bernadinas.  

Fortes' faena to the final bull of the afternoon showcased a completely different side to his tauromaquia. If his opening performance had been characterised by a bravery that bordered on tremendismo, the final lidia was marked by the slowness of his toreo. It began with the cape, a series of slow, low veronicas seemed at odds with the style of chicuelinas he gave to the first bull. By the tercio de muleta, the bull had developed a prompt and frank gallop that underscored its noble charge. Fortes soon noted these qualities and cited the bull from distance for the first series of derechazos - the soft touch of Fortes' muleta were exactly what the bull required. This was toreo en redondo of excellent quality. Although by the time he took the left hand, the bull's initial vigour had declined, the toreo remained of high quality. The silky smooth naturales were beautiful and perhaps the highlight of the faena. Fortes concluded with some circulares that were marked by temple rather than closeness. A good estocada put the oreja in his hand and gave him the puerta grande.

The corrida had opened with the worst bull of the string, a striking looking fiery brown bull that was weak and had an informal charge. Ferrera was in control of the lidia at every stage, and even managed an acceptable tercio de banderillas, despite his recent injury, but a pleasing spectacle was impossible given the animal’s condition.

Fortunately, Ferrera was able to express his toreo with the noble and sweet charging bull run fourth. I would not usually think that this type of bull would suit the generally cyclonic and thrilling Ferrera. However, he was able to perform very well timed toreo fundamental that was charged with emotion. Ferrera was slower than on most occasions, and the derechazos flowed with ease. When he took the muleta in the left hand, he was able to torear with repose and the curved naturales were an utter delight. Although it is hard to tell from home, the crowd seemed somewhat cold with Ferrera, and an unfortunate metisaca prevented any notion of an ear.

Ferrera was also very active in quites, intervening in his own bulls, and taking the opportunity to perform artistic quites during his companions lidias. As an interesting point, rather than taking the bull to the centre of the ring with two or three capotazos he would begin the quite from under the horse. Although it was not a hark back to the origin of the quite as a way of taking the bull away from the fallen picador, as the commentators would have us believe, it was a curious tweak on the usual execution of the suerte.    

Adame’s first bull had a wonderful right horn, and Joselito executed some pleasing and correct series of derechazos – the result was emotive, but his toreo was not emphatic enough to do justice to the quality of the bull. Al natural, Adame managed to readjust his footing between each pass in order to properly link the series. The bull was still vivacious when it came to the estocada, so Adame opted for a judicious and well-executed macheteo to prepare the bull for the sword thrust. The faena was enjoyable, clean and correct, but it lacked a layer of quality that the bull deserved; perhaps a better structure would have emphasised the positives and taken the faena to a crescendo.    

One of the highlights of Adame’s performance was a colourful and well executed quite by lopecinas to his second bull. A varied quite that reflect his Mexican roots, and timely reminder of the creativity on which this torero has based his tauromaquia. The faena began promisingly with some ayudados por alto executed while sitting on the tablas (I never usually like this suerte, but it worked on this occasion) followed by a superb pase del desdén. Unfortunately the bull developed a clumsy charge that Adam was never really able to control with his toreo en  redondo and the faena dissipated into nothing.