Video: Legend of Spain: the dramatic story of the short life of the famous matador Manolete
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
July 4 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Manuel Laureano Rodriguez, who performed in the bullfight under the pseudonym Manolete … He is considered the most famous matador in Spain, for eight years he remained the most popular and successful matador in the world. He was allotted only 30 years of life, but during this time Manolete managed to win the love of thousands of Spaniards and one of the most coveted beauty, and he died just like most bullfighters - in a battle with a bull.
Manuel Laureano Rodriguez was born in 1917 in Cordoba (Spain). Both his grandfather and father were matadors and performed under the pseudonym Manolete. True, they could not achieve such overwhelming popularity as Manuel. Already at the age of 15, he fought his first serious fight under the name of Manolete. At first, no one perceived him as a serious bullfighter.
But in 1938 the famous manager Jose Camara signed a contract with Manolete, the matador mastered a new fighting technique and began to gain popularity. His unshakable composure and perfected movements acted hypnotically on the audience, his plasticity was compared to the bewitching movements of dancers. He remained motionless even at the moment when an angry bull flew at him, at the last second forcing him to retreat, and at the same time he himself remained in the same place.
Officially, Manolete was ordained a matador in 1939 in Seville, and the very critics who used to laugh at him now said: “There has never been such a bullfighter, there has never been such elegance, grace and dignity in the history of bullfighting! . At the age of 20, Manolete became a national hero of Spain. Since then, the bullfighter has fought thousands of battles, having received about 30 wounds, defeating more than 1200 bulls and earning all the awards that exist at that time. For eight years, he remained the highest paid matador in the world.
The famous bullfighter managed not only to win the hearts of thousands of Spaniards, but also to conquer the beautiful actress Lupe Sino. Her reputation was not impeccable, the fame of a femme fatale was entrenched in her, they said about her: "She is one third Ava Gardner, one third Carmen, and one third a big problem!" Antonia Bronchalo Lopezino (this was her real name) was not inferior in temperament to the famous matador.
Manolete's predecessor, matador Joselito, said: “The worst enemy of a bullfighter is a woman. A woman, like sweet wine, intoxicates your mind and fetters your legs, she deprives you of the liveliness of consideration and speed of reaction. Many of Manolete's entourage disliked Lupe Sino and were against their connection, many accused the actress of frivolity and greed, but the passions in their pair were boiling serious, and the bullfighter did not listen to anyone. They spent only one and a half years together, and Manolete considered them the best in his life. For the tragedy that soon happened to him, many of his fans blamed Lupe Sino, although hardly any of the women were to blame for the short life of the matador.
Once, upon his return from a two-year tour of Latin America, Manolete suddenly found that the Spanish public had cooled to him, having chosen a new idol - the young bullfighter Luis Miguel Domingin. Manolete had to confront him in order to prove his superiority. To do this, he decided to participate in a series of risky bullfights with the most ferocious bulls in Spain.
On August 28, 1947 he performed in a bullfight in Linares. His skill was again appreciated by the public, the audience watched his movements without breathing. The matador hit the bull in the most difficult of all ways, but he suddenly made a sharp turn and threw Manolete into the air. And after that he pierced his body with horns several more times and fell down dead. The injuries received were fatal. The famous bullfighter died a slow and painful death in the hospital. Lupe Sino was not allowed to see him - they were afraid that he would wish to marry her before his death. His family even opposed her attending the funeral.
All Spain perceived the death of Manolete as a national tragedy. The funeral of the matador was the most massive in history. People came from all over the country, just as they used to come to bullfights with his participation. Manolete nevertheless came out as the recognized winner of the duel with Domingin, but this victory went to him too dearly - he had to pay with his life for it.
In 2007, a biopic about the legendary matador of Spain, Manolete, was released. The director of the film explained his idea as follows: “He met this magnificent woman who tried to destroy his passion for this game of death. But it was impossible to separate him and the most important part of his life, his personality. The intensity of passions makes this love story tragic, but amazing."
There are also much safer entertainment in Spain. Such as humane bullfight: bathe the bull in the sea!
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