Aurelio Selles
Who is Aurelio Selles?
Aurelio Selles Nondedeu, known in the flamenco world as Aurelio de Cádiz or also as El Tuerto Aurelio, was born in Cádiz in 1887. A payo cantaor, he became over time one of the great continuers of the purest school of Cádiz, the one stemming from Enrique el Mellizo, of whom he came to be regarded as an almost perfect connoisseur.
His deep connection to the city of Cádiz shaped his entire artistic career, to the point that his name became inseparably linked with the authentic styles of the Cádiz bay.
Career
Between 1925 and 1926 he toured Spain and several foreign countries, carrying his cante beyond the usual borders of flamenco at the time, accompanied on some of those performances by the guitarist Ramón Montoya, one of the most prestigious guitarists of the moment. That international reach, uncommon among cantaores from Cádiz of his generation, helped spread the styles of Cádiz beyond their home turf.
He nonetheless preferred to direct his art toward true connoisseurs rather than chase easy applause, an attitude he shared with other great purist cantaores of his day, and one that reinforced his reputation as a demanding, authentic performer.
Palos and discography
His repertoire centred on the soleares of Cádiz, alegrías and malagueñas, with special attention to the styles bequeathed by Enrique el Mellizo, which he performed in his own very personal version within the strictest Cádiz orthodoxy.
Legacy
In 1965 the Chair of Flamencology and Andalusian Folklore Studies awarded him the National Cante Prize, and a year earlier, in 1964, the city of Cádiz had already dedicated a street in his name in recognition of a life devoted to cante. He died in his home city in 1974, leaving behind the memory of one of the purest and most perfect interpreters of the cantes of Cádiz, an artist who decisively helped bring the flamenco tradition of Cádiz to its highest point.