The saeta: an emotive combination of feeling, art and devotion
The saeta was born as a major form of song in Seville, just over 100 years ago. Today, to talk of saeta is to talk about Manuel Cuevas. A native of Osuna, Cuevas is one of the great cantaores of the saeta. We were with him and his son, a rising star in this art, in a bar in Seville where religious brotherhoods are part of the culture...
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Seville is his stronghold. Especially since 2013, when he sang for the Macarena brotherhood, one of those saetas that make history. People here told me: as you sing for the Esperanza de Triana brotherhood, forget the Macarena... And in the end, that wasn't true, I was lucky enough for two brotherhoods to open their doors to me.¿ Born in Osuna, Cuevas claims that he hasn't slept since Wednesday. Easter is undoubtedly the time when his working day is most intense. ¿I started singing for religious devotion, and if I can make a living doing what I like, it's even better.¿ He comes to Seville with its son Manuel, another saetero and a rising star in this art...
We mentioned them in one of those places that comfort the rigours of thirst more than the spirit... The bars of the brotherhoods. There are plenty of them in Seville, and at this time of year, busier than ever. In this atmosphere, the emotion of song quickly appears...
To talk of the saeta is to talk about Seville in its main festival... Here it is where it acquired musical substance... As the conversation really gets going, we hear the great names that moulded this song form: Tomás, Pastora, Mairena... ¿I really like the saeta of the old days, of Vallejo, of Gloria, with a lot of flavour and very short, but today it has changed a lot,¿ the father admits... Legendary names that made the song great. As great as these saeteros do, every time they sing it...
