Dania Dévora, in charge of organizing the Womad festival in Spain for three decades, died today in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria at the age of 73. During her renowned career, Dévora has been in charge of the production of festivals and concerts by both national and international artists. The Maspalomas Soul Festival was the last event I was working on.
In Spain, the Womad ethnic music festival was born after Peter Gabriel himself commissioned the expansion of the format to Spain. Dévora was in charge of the two festival venues, Cáceres and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, from the early 90s until 2023, at which time he announced his departure to focus on other projects.
Its production company D&D Company has been in charge of a good part of the islands’ musical offerings over the years, from the Maspalomas Soul Festival to the Arrecife de Las Músicas. Others, such as the Ibero-American Evenings held in New York for the UN, allowed their work to take place on the other side of the pond. It was also common for him to participate in the organization of the traditional representation of Don Juan Tenorio in Vegueta.
There are many artists for whom he has produced concerts, from Bryan Ferry or Franz Ferdinand to the national tours of Manzanita, Las Veneno or Yllana. In 2003, his work was awarded at the Latin Grammys, taking home the statuette for Best Production of a Classical Album for ‘Historia del Soldado’ by Paquito D’Rivera. She was also Favorite Daughter of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Can Prize for the Arts of Gran Canaria.
