The last time Concha Velasco went on stage at the theater in The Latina from Madrid was in 2018 to represent ‘The Funeral’, a “very crazy comedy” –this is how she described her on the day of the premiere- in which she played a highly renowned actress who, before dying, asked her granddaughters to organize a funeral for her. “in a big way” in the theater. The performer returned to that same stage this Saturday, but this time the play was serious. This time The funeral was not fiction, but it was hers, but the emotion expressed by those who came to say goodbye to her would have left her satisfied: it was a big goodbye to an actress considered by many “of the family.”
Between cries of “Long live Concha Velasco!” At two in the afternoon the coffin arrived at the theater with the mortal remains of the actress, who died this morning in the residence where she has been cared for in recent months, given her deteriorated state of health. At the door, in tears, her son Manuel Velasco He thanked the press and the fans who were already gathering at the place at that time, “the affection and the exquisite treatment” that they had given to her mother throughout her life and related that the actress had died twelve hours earlier holding onto her hand and that of her brother Paquito.
While Concha Velasco’s son was giving thanks at the door of the theater, behind him people were piling up. crowns and bouquets with greetings signed by countless institutions and names from the world of culture, and it began to form the long line of fans of the interpreter who throughout the day have come en masse to say their last goodbye.
An artistic reference
As Carmen, a 70-year-old Valladolid woman who emigrated to Madrid decades ago like Concha, whom she “adored”; from seeing her so much “on TV, in the movies, in the theater and in everything she did.” EITHER Fidela 50-year-old from Madrid who recognized his difficulty in coming to terms with the idea that “Velasco is no longer going to be among us,” because for him she was “one more of the family.” Lucyan aspiring actress recently in her twenties, wanted to pay tribute to a performer she considers “an artistic reference for all lovers and professionals of this profession,” and Richard He silently joined the queue carrying a rose. “Concha was a great actress, and also a great socialist. I know that the rose is going to make you excited,” explained the follower.
Apart from the endless trail of fansthroughout the entire day numerous figures from the world of music have paraded through the La Latina theater. culture and politics to say goodbye to someone who, after six long decades of stages, filming and sets, continued to claim herself as that young woman who wanted to “be an artist.”
As Jose Sacristan, who coincided with her in films like ‘La colmena’, ‘I’ll get off in the next one, and you?’ or ‘The long vacation of ’36’, which described her as “pure will, talent and laughter, alternately an excellent actress and a neighborhood girl, but, above all, that actress who did everything and did everything well.” EITHER José Manuel Parada, who preceded her at the head of the ‘Cine de barrio’ program, and who was very close to her. “Until a few days ago we have been sending each other Whatsapps. “She had a tremendous memory, she remembered everything,” the presenter said at the doors of the theater.
Marisa Paredes, Antonio Resines, Miriam Díaz Aroca, Rosa Valenti, Fernando Méndez-Leite, Cristina Castaño, Alejo Sauras, Fiorella Faltoyano… There have been many figures from cinema, theater and television who wanted to go in person to say goodbye to Concha Velasco, a tribute to which several representatives of Spanish politics have joined.
Tribute from politics
As Margaret Robles, Minister of Defense, who has defined her as “an example for the women of this country”; either Nadia Calvino, holder of the Economy portfolio, who recalled: “Concha was not only a great artist, above all she was a great person.” The President of the Government also attended the funeral chapel, Pedro Sánchez, who has described her as “an example of constant work, talent and commitment to art, culture and Spain.”
These statements were made by the president as he left the theater to the boos of some citizens who shouted at him. “Get out!”whom Sánchez has referred to as “a group of intolerant people do not allow me to make a statement calmly”, and the applause and acclamations of “Hold on, President, hold on!” that others dedicated to him, with whom he has stopped to take photos.
Minutes before, also surrounded by followers and detractors who dedicated applause and boos in equal parts, the president of the Community of Madrid had left the funeral chapel, Isabel Diaz Ayusowho upon his arrival had starred in one of the anecdotes of the day.
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Not so much she as Marisa Paredes, who was making statements to the press when the popular leader appeared and, as soon as he saw her, he blurted out into the microphones: “Ayuso? For God’s sake, what is she doing here? Get out!”, a reaction that was the talk of the social media all day.
Five years ago, on the day of the presentation of ‘The funeral’, Concha Velasco came to the press conference almost crawling, unable to hide the severe cold she was suffering from. “I, since I’m a star, couldn’t catch a cold, I had to catch pneumonia,” she joked before the microphones. Today, at his true funeral, as attached to current events as she has liked to be all her life, it seems that the actress wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to be a protagonist in the political scuffles that lately mark public life. Artist to the grave.