123 years since the first public reading of 'La Balanguera' are commemorated

PalmMallorca commemorated this Sunday the 123rd anniversary of the first public reading of The Balanguera, the poem by Joan Alcover which would eventually become the island's official anthem. The event took place at CaixaForum Palma, the former Gran Hotel, the same venue where Alcover first recited the poem on February 15, 1902.

The commemoration, promoted by the Balearic Cultural Association and the Council of Mallorca, aimed to recall that first public gesture, which would eventually fade away. On that day, the poet read The Balanguera before an audience gathered to celebrate Costa i Llobera's proclamation as Master of Gay Saber at the Floral Games of 1902.

Over time, the poem gained prominence until it became the official anthem of Mallorca, officially recognized as such in 1996. It speaks of the thread that unites past, present, and future. Amadeu Vives' music, premiered in 1926, cemented the poem in the collective consciousness.

This Sunday's event consisted of a presentation by Maria Antònia Perelló, a reading of the poem by Josep Lluís Pol, and a final performance by the Youth Choir of the Teatre Principal. It was also noted that the Consell de Mallorca installed a commemorative plaque on the same building in 1997, which is now obscured due to renovations.

The president of the OCB, Antoni Llabrés, emphasized that Alcover understood that towns "don't stay alive by inertia," but because they continue to weave together and make decisions about their future. Along these lines, he announced a collective song of The Balanguera On May 29th, in the squares of all the towns of Mallorca, with the aim of turning the birthday into a shared gesture of defense of the language and culture.