PROJECTION OF THE DOCUMENTARY FILM
MEDIO SIGLO
A tribute to the Art and Sound of José Luis Romanillos
Saturday June 17th 2023 - 5:30 p.m.
The documentary Medio Siglo, the art and sound of José Romanillos, was filmed over the course of a year, after the luthier's death, and premiered on the big screen at the Margarita Xirgu Theatre in Badalona. During the year 2023, the project Medio Siglo is being presented in cities all over the world. Badalona was chosen because it hosted this Festival dedicated to the memory of José Luis Romanillos. The next dates are New York and Brussels.
THE DOCUMENTARY
Medio Siglo (Half a Century) is a documentary film about José Luis Romanillos, one of the most influential Spanish classical guitar makers of the 20th century, who passed away just over a year ago and to whom this festival is dedicated.
Medio Siglo is also an album containing José Luis Romanillos' favourite guitar pieces, performed by Antigoni Goni and the Volterra Project Trio. The album was recorded with the last four guitars built by Romanillos. The famous Medio Siglo was one of them, giving the project its name. The film shows part of the process of making this album, a unique and exclusive work, recorded and published as a posthumous tribute to the luthier.
Watching the documentary we will know the four instruments, authentic handcrafted jewels, and some details of the life and work of their maker, with testimonies from people who knew him closely. Interspersed throughout the film are sequences of the performance of various pieces from the album with Romanillos guitars.
The main promoters of the Medio Siglo project -both the record and the documentary- have been Romanillos' wife -now his widow- Marian Harris, and the famous Greek guitarist Antigoni Goni, who will give a live recital after the screening of the documentary in which she will perform most of the pieces contained on the record.
Format: Digital video 4K
Language: English, with Spanish subtitles.
Duration: 72 min.
DOCUMENTARY Medio Siglo, the Art and Sound of José L. Romanillos
THE MEDIO SIGLO PROJECT
MEDIO SIGLO is an exclusive record containing José Luis Romanillos' favourite guitar pieces, performed by Antigoni Goni, in some cases as a soloist and in others as a duo or trio with the other two members of the Volterra Project Trio, Luca Isolani and Maarten Vandenbemden.
The original instruments used for the recording of Medio Siglo are the last four guitars built by José Luis Romanillos: Rosa, La Amistad, Marian and Medio Siglo. The latter, considered by the luthier himself as the best of all the guitars he built, is the one that gives its name to the entire project. However, all four instruments are masterpieces, and are closely related to moments and aspects of the life of José Luis himself and his wife Marian.
The disc was recorded by the legendary engineer John Taylor. The project has also involved outstanding professionals such as the guitarist and producer Cedric Honings and the prestigious German luthier Gerhard J. Oldiges.
THE MEDIO SIGLO ALBUM
The result of this work has been published this year 2023 in digital format and also in an exclusive edition as a vinyl record. In this classic presentation, the LP album is accompanied by a booklet with high quality photographic material, texts and personal memories of Romanillos and Marian, all included with an aesthetic presentation in a numbered slipcase personally signed by Antigoni Goni and Marian Harris.
This exclusive album could be purchased in Badalona during the festival at the exhibition hall. After the festival, you can purchase this album online on the Medio Siglo project website:
We hope that the Medio Siglo project will help to keep alive the memory of José Luis Romanillos and his legacy, and serve as a reminder of the complexity, beauty and chromatic richness of our instrument.
A GIFT TURNED TRIBUTE
The album Medio Siglo was the planned gift for the luthier's 90th birthday in June 2022. Sadly, José Luis passed away on 12 February, at the age of 89, without being able to see the project completed. Despite this, his widow Marian Harris and Antigoni Goni decided to go ahead with Medio Siglo until they managed to publish the album and the accompanying film, released today in Badalona on the big screen