Last Friday, August 1, when the representation of Alfonso X: The Last Cantiga around 11 at night, On the sixth day of the Alcántara Festival, the Extremadura actor Jesús Lozano (Almendralejo, 1970), protagonist, author and director of the work, suffered a fading on stage. The interpreter had a cardiorespiratory arrest. He was quickly attended by health services in the San Benito Conventual enclosure where the work was celebrated, and already conscious was transferred to the Cáceres hospital. There he spent the night under observation, already stable, as reported by the organizers of this classical theater event that has celebrated its 39th edition this 2025.
“Alfonso X, the last cantigaIt is the passionate and desperate expression of its last farewell song, as a cry of relief and pain, its last breath for sounding in changing the history and design of the times, “wrote José Luis González Subías, academic of the performing arts of Spain, in the festival program.“ A work of powerful dramatic force and musical quality that excites and reaches the heart of the public, ”
One of Jesús Lozano’s cast, the actress and producer Inma Cedeño, explained on Facebook what happened, and clarified that the actor did not pass out but that “his heart stopped.” He added that the theater “saved the actor’s life”: “It was saved because we were in a prepared place, with defibrillator and with people capable of acting quickly and without hesitation. Doctors have said it with a roundness: if this had happened at home, probably today we would not be telling it.”
Cedeño also had words of recognition for the Alcántara Festival and its manager for dispensed attention and discretion with which the incident has treated. The actor and playwright participated in this production of the Extremadura company María de Melo Producciones and the comic goddess (group founded by Lozano himself).
This Monday, when taking stock of the festival, which after the medical emergency of Lozano and the suspension of that work, continued on Saturday and Sunday with the rest of the planned representations, the director of the contest, Rocío Montero, has made a very positive balance of this edition. He highlighted the good audience and criticism of the main representations of the Conventual San Benito, with an increase in the number of spectators with respect to the previous edition and almost three full in the three works that have been represented. He festival off It has also grown in number of attendees and functions.
The director of the festival has also referred to what happened on Friday. Montero wanted to emphasize that everything remained in a scare and that the way of acting of all the people involved “was ten.” He added: “This has given us a lot of peace of mind because we are prepared to respond, both to companies and the public, in the event that an emergency occurs.” “Everything worked perfectly” both in the application of assistance protocols and in the coordination of health, police, room, production or address.