Esperanza la del maera (literally Esperanza of the man known as Wooden, or Hope wife of the man known as wooden), was an old woman born in Seville, in the very artistic and folkloric district of Triana (they claim to be an independent republic inside Seville). She had an awful life. She lived her entire life hidden behind a cruel man nicknamed “el maera” (the wooden) because of his tough forms. El maera was well known in the Flamenco world. It is said that Ava Gardner was in love with him. But he did not want Esperanza to show her art. She grew up her children, and never had the opportunity to become a singer.
But Esperanza (hope), never lost her hope. 13 years after she became widow, when she was 80, she created a flamenco group “Triana Pura”, with other elderly neighbours. Art was thru the veins of them all. They recorded a LP “De Triana, al Cielo”, (from triana to heaven) with a huge success, “el probe Miguel” (poor Miguel, but with an orthographic mistake very common in illiterate post-civil war andalusian people, in fact, all of them were illiterate).
Esperanza died a few months later.
Did she become an artist? No, she had always been an Artist. Did she have hope? No, she was Hope. Hope, la de Triana
This is not the song that made them famous, but one of the most beautiful songs I ever listened. Enjoy Esperanza
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6exNUayPilA
