The semi-finals, coming soon
The event held in Toulouse last Saturday completed the quarter-final stage of the Bertsolaris Championship. At the end of this event we knew the names of the bertsolaris who had qualified for the semi-final, as well as the composition of the first round of the semi-finals.
The semi-final stage is divided into two rounds. The first will involve the 18 bertsolaris who have qualified plus six bertsolaris who were finalists in the championship four years ago. Of these 24, the 18 bertsolaris with the highest number of points will go through to the second round.
Bastida, Irun, Maule-Lextarre and Durango will host the events in the first round of the semi-finals. The first of the semi-finals will take place in Bastida on 28 October and the following ones will be held on 1, 4 and 12 November. One of these events, the one in Irun, will be held on Wednesday, taking advantage of it being a public holiday.
Igor Elortza and Sustrai Colina will début in this edition to be held in Bastida Sports Centre. Along with them will be another four bertsolaris qualifying from the quarterfinals: the winner of the event in Segura, Jon Martin , and Agin Laburu , Jone Uria and Nahikari Gabilondo , in order of their scores.
In Irun, the semi-final will be held at the Artaleku Sports Centre. The finalists from four years ago Aitor Sarriegi and Maialen Lujanbio will sing alongside the winner in Baigorri, Alaia Martin , and Aimar Karrika , Maddalen Arzallus and Unai Agirre , in order of their scores.
In Maule-Lextarre we will see the finalist from the last edition Beñat Gaztelumendi. Along with him will be the two bertsolaris who won the quarterfinals in Zumaia and Tolosa, Nerea Ibarzabal and Etxahun Lekue . The others who have qualified for this semi-final are Beñat Iguaran , Julio Soto and Nerea Elustondo .
Durango will complete the first round of the semi-finals. Aitor Mendiluze will begin his campaign in this edition and alongside him we will see Oihana Iguaran , winner in Leitza, Miren Amuriza , winner in Zalla, and Iñaki Apalategi , Jon Maia and Miren Artetxe .
After these first four semi-finals, the top 18 bertsolaris will go through to the second round. This second round of semi-finals will be held in Amurrio, Saint Jean de Luz and Pamplona and will result in the selection of the 8 finalists who will compete in the final to be held on 17 December in the BEC in Barakaldo.
All performances will start at 5 pm. The doors to the venues will open at 3.30 pm
Many ways to follow the semi-finals
As we saw during the quarter-finals, the portal www.bertsoa.eus will broadcast the semi-finals live, and will offer a wide selection the day after each event. Likewise, the television program Hitzetik Hortzera will offer a detailed report on the championship each week.
In addition, ETB4 will broadcast all the semi-finals live, presented by Aitzol Barandiaran , Manex Agirre and Uxue Alberdi. To this we must add the extensive coverage by other media organisations, including the many who are collaborating with the championship.
Tickets for the final have sold out
There are no tickets left for the Bertsolaris Championship final, as the last ones were sold at the weekend. With the BEC now full, no more tickets will be put up for sale for the final to be held on 17 December.
Tickets for the final were put on sale on 12 September for members of Bertsozale Elkartea and on 2 October for non-members.
For the semi-finals, tickets are available for sale on the www.bertsosarrerak.eus portal and since the venues have limited capacity the organisers recommend purchasing them in advance.
