Revisiting Las Bodas de Isabel de Segura 2013:

As the only American living in a small city in rural Spain, many ask why I´m here. It´s quite strange because most of my life I have lived in metropolises like Boston, New York and Los Angeles. In 1999, while living in Los Angeles and working in Hollywood, I read a blurb in a travel magazine about a city in Spain where the people celebrate the undying love of two young lovers, Los Amantes de Teruel, with a festival. I was fascinated that there might be another story just as alluring and extraordinary as Romeo & Juliet.

I began to do research, and on a trip to Italy in 2003, I stopped by this rural town, Teruel, and met Raquel Estebán Martín, the director of the foundation that puts on the medieval festival, Las Bodas de Isabel. We became friends, but it was not until four years later that my life changed dramatically.

On my fourth visit to Teruel in 2007, I met my Spanish husband, Diego, at the festival while we were both photographing this annual event that celebrates Los Amantes de Teruel. It has been estimated that about 80,000 people come for this three-day extravaganza.

… and, it wasn´t until 2013 that Raquel called me into her office and asked if I would be the pregonera (town crier) for the festival. I imagined a little man standing on a box with a few people surrounding him and thought I could do that. No problem. Many questioned, why this ordinary North American as in the past the others have been famous writers, journalists and historians. To understand, one must read my pregón (speech).

But the journey I was about to embark on those two weeks prior was not what I had expected. I had no idea that it would be accompanied by radio, television and newspaper interviews — mostly in Spanish! Years had passed since I moved to Teruel, and for the most part, Diego and I had avoided the press as we always preferred being behind the camera.

I spent the next week writing my speech in English and then preparing it in Spanish. I could not have done it without Diego and Santiago Gascón, the award-winning writer of the festival, who both helped refine my words and thoughts!

I marked my notes in red and yellow depending on which part of the words needed to be stressed based on a recording that Diego made. I practiced alone in silence, but I wouldn´t allow myself to think of the actual day pending. I had to get through each day. One week before, there was a press conference at the Ayuntamiento (City Hall) and I had to give a speech in Spanish live for Aragón TV (regional). The rest of the days leading up to the event, I had two to three interviews a day with Diario de Teruel, El Heraldo, ecodeteruel.es, Aragón TV, Cadena Sur Radio, Cope Teruel Radio, Onda Cero Radio, and more.

On the morning of my speech, Friday, February 15, 2013, I got dressed in my angelic blue medieval clothing that made me feel like a princess. I then walked over to the City Hall with Diego. Waiting for the festivities to begin on the second floor was a group of políticos (politicians) including the President of Aragón, Luisa Fernanda Rudi Úbeda and the Mayor of Teruel, Manolo Blasco. The Mayor presented me with a gift from the city and we had our picture taken by the press. Afterwards, we stood on the balcony watching as Isabel passed by on her horse to get married at the Cathedral.

I was fully aware that in less than an hour I would have to give my speech. At the end of Isabel´s wedding, I joined the Mayor as we walked to the Museo de Teruel. We floated along a sea of people, most of the faces a blur. I smiled in a dream-like state and could feel my heart pounding as I was talking to him. I nodded in disbelief that it was actually me who was the center of attention as people waved to us.

We made it to the Plaza Marquesa and there was a slew of press there taking our photo one last time before I made my way upstairs to face the enemy. I then walked alone, and when I entered the second floor hall, all I could see were piles of cables, microphones and techs from the radio and television. A mysterious face said ¨¨We´re waiting for you and ready to begin.¨  This was when the fear really set in. I was pulled aside by Pilar Pallares, a friend who worked for the Fundación Bodas de Isabel. She asked if I needed anything, told me not to worry about anyone else and that I could begin when I was ready. At that moment deep inside, I could not believe that I had committed to doing this!

A microphone was placed on me and then I rejoined Mayor Blasco as he opened the thick grandiose wooden doors to the balcony of the museum. As he led me outside my heart pounded. There they were, all those faces looking up at me – hundreds or thousands, I did not know, but the plaza was full. I could feel a rush of warmth as the sun hit the balcony. I smiled, squeezing tightly to my pregón (speech) as if it were the pilar of strength I needed to hold me up.

As I spoke my first words, I could hear them echo against the Cathedral walls and throughout the Plaza Marquesa. How many times I had been there before photographing events and other pregoneras. I did not recognize the first words that came out; the voice I heard did not sound at all like mine; the noises it made in Spanish were odd (a typical feeling when speaking a second language). Then, I heard a sigh, a laugh, an awww, and could feel their responses. And it was that which gave me the strength to continue.

I tried to look as little as possible at my notes as I wanted the people to see my eyes as I expressed gratitude to them for embracing me, especially to Diego and his family. I wanted to tell them that I knew I did not deserve to be there any more than any one else. There were so many others who had fallen in love with Los Amantes de Teruel and the festival. But through my words I had hoped that I could express what all those people, the ordinary people, wanted to say if they had the chance. The words were for them and for the centuries of others who had fallen in love with what the legend signified — a symbol of finding and being in love, the true human condition.

So for all the people throughout history, today and in the past as well as the directors, actors and historians who have dedicated their lives to this legend, I applaud you. Teruel, Turolenses, Diego and your family, thank you for accepting me, for rejoicing in the beauty of this legend and the idea of undying love!

 

— Lori Needleman 

Images:

• The original blurb I found in a travel magazine back in 1999.
• With Raquel Estebán Martin, the director of Fundación Las Bodas de Isabel in 2004.
• The poster of the 2013 festival Las Bodas de Isabel.
• With the President of Aragón, Luisa Fernanda Rudi Úbeda and the Mayor of Teruel, Manolo Blasco, at the Museo de Teruel entrance before my speech. Photo by Paco Montero.
• Entering the Museo de Teruel before my speech. Photo by Paco Montero.
• Diego and Lori. Photo by Amparo Hernández Estopiñán