This Holy Saturday, Málaga will become the bullfighting epicenter with one of the year's top events.

This Holy Saturday, April 19, Málaga will become the bullfighting epicenter of Holy Week with the celebration of the Picassiana Bullfight. An event that features one of the most attractive lineups of the season with the participation of Fortes, Juan Ortega, and Roca Rey to fight bulls from Álvaro Núñez's ranch. A lineup that has generated great anticipation and with which the organizers hope to hang the 'Sold Out' sign.

The local matador, Fortes, will return to La Malagueta with the vivid memory of his great performance last August, which earned him the main awards of the cycle; the Sevillian Ortega is one of the art bullfighters favored by enthusiasts; and Roca Rey is the leading figure in bullfighting today. The trio will face, starting at 6 in the evening, bulls from Álvaro Núñez that were unloaded at La Malagueta this Friday, with eight of them passing the first veterinary inspection.

"A truly luxurious trio for one of the most special bullfights of the year in the season. Lances de Futuro makes a significant effort again so that fans can live a unique experience at the 2025 Picassiana. We will make history again at La Malagueta," highlighted the arena's businessman, José María Garzón.

A celebration where bullfighting; painting, through the artist Pablo Alonso Herráiz, who in addition to creating the promotional poster will be in charge of painting the barriers and bullpens of the arena with motifs alluding to the different eras of Picasso; and music through the Miraflores-Gibraljaire band, which celebrates half a century since its founding this year.

Musical Variety and Decoration

The band, under the direction of Pepe Arias, will perform a repertoire that mixes procession marches, pasodobles, and classical pieces. Thus, in the prelude to the start, 'Malagueña Virgen de la Paloma', 'Himno de coronación de la Esperanza', and 'Coronación' will be played. 'Pan y toros' and the National Anthem will be the soundtrack of the parade, and during the bullfights, the following pieces are planned to be played in order: 'Cristo de los Estudiantes', 'Suspiros de España', 'Los dos Adolfos', 'Jiménez Fortes', 'María Santísima del Amparo', and 'Juncal'.

Furthermore, in this extraordinary Picassiana Bullfight, La Malagueta will feature mid-20th-century bullfighting details such as the arena's stripes painted red; the first-floor boxes will be adorned with garlands and Manila shawls, and the second-floor ones with flags of Spain and Andalusia; and a new sound system will be premiered at the plaza, recovering, only for this event, what was traditional in Málaga until well into the 1980s, such as announcing before each bull's release its name, number, brand, and the matador who will fight it.