SANTA CRUZ CARNIVAL CONTESTS UNDER WAY

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Wednesday January 27 2010

Los Rebeldes child Murga group performing on Wednesday

THE 2010 CARNIVAL queen and youth Murga competitions began in the regional capital Santa Cruz this week.

by JAMES TWEEDIE

The 42 candidates who will participate in the three Queen of the Carnival galas were presented to the public at the Círculo de Amistad XII de Enero south of the capital on Tuesday.

Some 12 contestants entered the adult contest, 26 the children's class and just four in the 'tercera edad' or old-age pageant.

On Wednesday, as Santa Cruz celebrated 188 years as the capital of the Canaries, the first round of the children's Murga competition was held at city's Recinto Ferial.

Murgas are a form of short (8 – 10 minute) musical theatre performed by a chorus of costumed singers accompanied by drums and trumpets – or in fact trumpet-shaped kazoos.

The theme is usually satirical, sung to popular pop and stage musical tunes.

Murgas originated in Cadiz in mainland Spain and are performed there as well as the Canaries, Uruguay and Argentina.

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