Nothing relevant had happened until then when Ángel Otero stepped into the center of the ring to plant the second pair of banderillas on the third bull of the afternoon. He made himself visible, the animal quickly came to meet him, Otero raised his arms, leaned over the sharp balcony of Adulador’s daring horns, and drove the harpoons in at the very top; and while the entire plaza erupted in an explosion of joy, the bullfighter proudly headed to the barrier. Naturally, he was forced to acknowledge the applause, and the stands, standing, paid tribute to a great bullfighter who saluted with ceremony and solemnity, as the feat deserved.
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That is the outstanding memory of an afternoon in which a very well-presented Fuente Ymbro bullfight was held, docile at the horses, and varied in performance in the other thirds. All contained breed with different nuances, from the greedy third to the more noble fourth and fifth. The others were complicated, especially the sixth, which came out as a substitute, and tarnished the name of its family.
The bullfighter’s heart also ages, says the title, which is like highlighting that the jar of essences of some who wear the lights empties over time, and illusions and desires disappear, and those who were once seen as great in front of the bull are now glimpsed as diminished, far from that heroic artist once recognized.
It will be the passage of time, cruel to all, that prevents dreams from lasting and the artist turns into a worthy professional awaiting retirement; he knows the craft, he looks loose, but blurred, no longer enchanting, and the bullfighter’s heart does not beat with the joy of yesteryear.
These inevitable feelings were present throughout today’s event when two bullfighting stars, Miguel Ángel Perera and Paco Ureña, appeared disinterested, mechanical, clumsy, bored, like someone who has to lay a row of bricks and does so thinking about Sunday’s game.
Perera has gone out six times through the Main Gate of this plaza with full merit, and today he seemed a caricature of himself. Without any control over the complicated first, as if he were a novice; and dull, without spice, without motivation, giving vain passes, almost always along the horn and below the nobility of the fourth.
Ureña’s bullfighter’s heart only allowed him to challenge his dull and lackluster first to steal an acceptable series with the right hand and a couple of long naturales; but there was not much more. With cape and muleta he always opted for speed and the excessive desire to escape the bull’s face as soon as possible. He received the fifth with more than acceptable verónicas, but very few, without time for delight; then he began with statues, a trincherilla, and a pecho that raised hope that did not materialize. He could not live up to the noble bull, and his haste and distrust did the rest.
And Fernando Adrián? His concept of bullfighting can be debated and criticized, but his heart beats with commendable dedication. He did not cut the ear of the third bull, the greediest and most brave of the herd, because he failed with the sword. He was more focused than last Friday, when he went out through the Main Gate, more settled, more crossed, and in that way he drew a couple of tight series of naturales with good stroke. He is unorthodox and limited as an artist, but he is also brave and shows admirable dedication. And all this, despite protests from part of the audience, which did not cease throughout the fight of his two bulls.
The sixth only allowed him to be neat; very lackluster and without any zeal, Fernando Adrián could not repeat his triumph.
By the way, when the second bull died, an anti-bullfighting activist appeared in the ring with a legend on his bare chest and a small banner in his hands; but he did not achieve his goal because a monkey boy, faster than the spontaneous one, intercepted him and handed him over to the police.
Fuente Ymbro/Perera, Ureña, Adrián
Bulls from Fuente Ymbro, -the sixth, returned and replaced by another from the same brand-, well presented, docile at the horses and brave in the final third; the third stood out -extraordinary for its greed and class- and the noble fourth and fifth. The most lackluster, the sixth.
Miguel Ángel Perera: almost full dropped _warning_ and a descabello (silence); two pinches _warning_ and almost full tilted (silence).
Paco Ureña: pinch _warning_ and estocada (ovation); bajonazo _warning_ (silence).
Fernando Adrián: _warning_ pinch and almost full (ovation); almost full detached, six descabellos _warning_ and one descabello (silence).
Las Ventas Bullring. May 17. Ninth event of the San Isidro Fair. Full house ‘sold out’ (22,964 spectators, according to the company).
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