Manuela Vargas

Manuela Vargas, born Manuela Hermoso Vargas in Seville in 1941, commenced her professional flamenco career at the age of twelve. She began at the tablao “El Guajiro” under the instruction of Enrique El Cojo, subsequently performing at “El Duende” in Madrid. A pivotal moment in her career occurred in 1964 when she secured the International Dance Prize of the Theatre of Nations in Paris for her work in “Antología dramática del flamenco” by José Monleón. This award initiated her international presence, highlighted by her participation in the Spanish pavilion at the New York World’s Fair in 1965 and a four-week engagement at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London in 1966. Her artistic journey continued with successes such as a notable performance at the Teatro Avenida in Buenos Aires in 1969, and upon her return from an American tour, she received the National Flamenco Dance Award from the Chair of Flamencology in Jerez de la Frontera.

Vargas expanded her work into cinema and significant theatrical productions. In 1969, she co-starred alongside Mark Stevens in Jaime Camino’s film “España otra vez.” Domestically, she led her own company and contributed to major productions including “Medea,” directed by Miguel Narros in 1984, and adaptations of works by Federico García Lorca and Rafael Alberti, such as “Así que pasen cinco años” (1989) and “La Gallarda” (1992) with the Centro Dramático Nacional. Other notable productions included “La petenera,” “El Sur,” and “Fedra.” She also performed at the opening gala of Seville Expo’92. Her final credited cinematic collaboration was in Pedro Almodóvar’s “La flor de mi secreto” with Joaquín Cortés.

Throughout her career, Manuela Vargas was recognized for her commitment to flamenco. In 2006, she was awarded the Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts. She had two daughters, Rocio and Macarena, with Horacio Vial Serrano. Manuela Vargas passed away on October 12, 2007, in Madrid at the age of 66, following a prolonged battle with cancer. She was interred in the cemetery of San Fernando in Seville, leaving a legacy acknowledged for refining and evolving the emotional depth within flamenco.