Antonio Ferrera, creative and histrionic, through the Main Gate

Antonio Ferrera is a box of surprises; he goes his own way, does not seem to participate in the bullfighting system, uses a blue cape to show that he is unique, supposedly, but the most outstanding thing is that he has a defined, distinct, and striking personality that allows him to be the center of attention not because of his eccentricities, but because of the constant search for new ways to shine in front of the bull.

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Antonio Ferrera is a creative and different bullfighter, who this afternoon has gone out through the Main Gate for his ability to excite the audience, for his acting skills, for his command of the stage, because he fought very well against the fourth bull, because he lanced the sixth against the judgment of the stands and gave himself in an accelerated but spectacular way to that bull so that he once again paraded a trophy because the entire arena, moved by the bullfighter’s personality, surrendered to him without hesitation.

That is how this wonderful festival is; the bullfight was heading towards the abyss of boredom at the death of the third bull, dull and lacking breed were those that had come out to the ring, and with the fourth the event changed color.

The bull Mentiroso performed excellently in the first third, responded to Ángel Otero’s call, who planted two extraordinary pairs of banderillas, and came to the muleta calm and tempered, with enough class for an inspired Ferrera to initially draw three beautiful natural passes without any trial.

There the tone of the event changed. With long duration, quickness, and steadiness in the charges, the bull allowed Ferrera to relax, take the bait with his right hand, and draw up to five round passes that exuded classic bullfighting, composure, mastery, and finesse; before that, there were high details of good cut and emotional style with both hands, until Ferrera decided to end the performance, placed the muleta on his left shoulder, moved away from the bull, and amid general silence, slowly approached his opponent until he mounted the sword about five meters away and stabbed into the bone. A subsequent swift thrust allowed him to cut the first ear.

Paco Ureña had been dramatically thrown by the third, as dull and short-traveled as the previous two; he was caught halfway through a right-hand cite, and the bull hooked him and held him hanging from the horns for some eternal moments until seriously injuring him. The Murcian bullfighter, who had received it with four passionate verónicas, really risked himself, could not get anything clear, stayed in the ring until the bull’s death, and went on his own feet to the infirmary.

For this reason, Ferrera was forced to fight the sixth of the afternoon; and there the bullfighter starred in the dramatic work of a histrionic actor, but honorable and overwhelming.

When the trumpets sound for the picadors to come out, Ferrera goes to his and asks him to get off the horse because he has decided to act as a picador. And so, in an irregular manner, but overwhelming for all present, he lances up to three times – unevenly, it is true – in which the bull joyfully met the horse. He quickly gets off the horse, takes the cape, and makes a quick quite of two chicuelinas and a half, but the president says the bull is not lanced by the one who is obliged to do so. And there a commotion arises. Ferrera gestures to the stands to please change the third, the president remains unmoved, and the crowd unanimously shouts “Out of the stands.” In the end, the picador plants a fourth lance, and by order of his leader, leaves the ring.

The muleta work on that bull had already entered another dimension; with the arena in his favor, and Ferrera excited and accelerated, the performance was more passionate and unsteady than the good bull deserved, but there were long and connected natural passes and another series with the same hand, faint and full of good taste.

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Again he moved away from the bull, muleta on the shoulder and slow approach amid expectant silence, anxiety, and the attention of the stands. A loose thrust that the bull spits out and a descabello did not prevent the arena from being covered with handkerchiefs.

So, Antonio Ferrera went out through the Main Gate, and to that accolade, all the objections you want can be made, but no one can deny this bullfighter his personality and his bullfighting art. He is an artist – an artist, yes – different, and today he has proven it handsomely.

The third was Manuel Escribano, who received his lot on his knees in the middle and came out victorious with two long changes. He banderilled both; better, much better the fifth than the second; the latter very complicated, and the other more cooperative. And Escribano muleted it with commitment, drawing the charge with skill until the animal was exhausted.