On Friday 11 the winners were revealed at the end of a thrilling mini-league. From the twenty-four groups that qualified to the mini-league only five were awarded first prize in their respective categories. First prize and second prize winners are able to perform at the winners’ round, the final part of the official competition at the end of the Carnival season.
The mini-league saw eleven murgas, four parodists, three humorists, two revues and four comparsas striving for the first prize. At the beginning of the Carnival Competition there were a total of forty-eight groups: twenty-four murgas, five parodists, seven humoursits, four revues and eight comparsas. Twelve groups didn’t reach the second round and twelve more were left out of the mini-league.
Carnival Competition’s Category Winners
The total score used to determine the winner is obtained from the sum of the scores given after of each of the three rounds. The groups receive points in different categories, including the quality of the songs, dresses, make-up and performances. The groups that didn’t qualify to subsequent stages are left with the points of the stages they participated in, which practically eliminates them from the competition.
The first prize winner revue was La Compañía with 1426 points, second prize was awarded to Feeling’s with 1369 points. Far behind were left Madame Gótica and Aquelarre with 148 and 141 points respectively as they didn’t qualify to the second round (“La Compañía, primer premio en categoría revistas 2011”, DAECPU, March 12 2011).
In the humorists category first prize was won by Cyranos with 1555 points, second prize was given to Sociedad Anónima with 1549 points and third prize to Los Choby’s. Groups eliminated in the second round were Los Calmantes, Los Carlitos and Virgilio’s who earned 552, 531 and 512 points respectively while in the first round Joker’s was left with 156 points (“Cyranos, primer premio en categoría humoristas 2011”, DAECPU, March 12 2011).
First prize winning comparsa (sociedad de negros y lubolos) was Tronar de Tambores with 1541 points, Yambo Kenia received second prize with 1538 points, Mi Morena third prize with 1474 points and C 1080 fourth prize with 1467 points. Comparsas left in the second round were Sarabanda with 562 points and Serenata Africana with 559 points. At the first round were left Senegal with 150 points and Oni Shangó with 131 points (“Tronar de Tambores, primer premio en categoría sociedad de negros y lubolos 2011”, DAECPU, March 12 2011).
Parodists’ first prize winners were Zingaros with 1586 points, second prize was granted to Momosapiens with 1552 points, third prize to Los Muchachos with 1544 points and fourth prize to Caballeros with 1495 points. The first round saw Galileos eliminated with 139 points (“Zingaros, primer premio en categoría parodistas 2011”, DAECPU, March 12 2011).
The murga that won first prize was Agarrate Catalina with 1602 points, A Contramano got second prize with 1579 points, La Clave got third prize with 1560 points and Curtidores de Hongos got fourth prize with 1554 points. The rest of the mini-league qualifiers were: 5th, La Trasnochada, 1543 points; 6th, Los Diablos Verdes, 1530 points; 7th, Falta y Resto, 1508 points; 8th, La Gran Muñeca, 1498 points; 9th, La Soñada, 1464 points; 10th, La Gran Siete, 1447 points and 11th, Momolandia, 1443 points.
Second round qualifiers murgas were: 12th, La Margarita, 571 points; 13th, La Mojigata, 569 points; 14th, La Cofradía, 554 points; 15th, La Nueva Milonga, 553 points; 16th, Metele que son Pasteles, 548 points; 17th, La Bolilla que Faltaba, 539 points and 18th, Araca la Cana, 522 points.
Murgas that didn’t qualify to the second round were: 19th, Ecos del Camión, 153 points; 20th, La Lunática, 151 points; 21st, La Yapa, 147 points; 22nd, La Delestribo, 136 points; 23rd, La Selección, 132 and 24th, A Toda Costa, 119 points (“Agarrate Catalina, primer premio en categoría murgas 2011”, DAECPU, March 12 2011).
Both first and second prize winners will perform at the winners round. The winners round, held after the competition is a great opportunity to see the best Carnival groups had to offer in the competition. Second prize winners will be able to participate in the first two stages of the winners round, but the first prize winners perform twice: once in the first two stages and again on the final day of Carnival.
Carnival’s Competition Popular Vote Results and Special Mentions
Montevideo City Hall allowed people to vote for their favourites show and figures in the Carnival Competition. The results of the popular vote were disclosed along with the result of the competition on Friday.
The most popular show was the one presented by parodists Caballeros. The most popular figures in the five categories were: Leonardo Pacella from humorists Los Choby’s, Mariana Sayas from revue Feeling’s, Julio “Kanela” Sosa from comparsa Tronar de Tambores, Raul Ruben Medina from parodists Caballeros and José Martín Souza from murga La Trasnochada.
Although a few of the special mentions have only one nominee, the fifty-eight winners will be revealed at the Blue Room of Montevideo City Hall on the 21st of March at 19.00 hours, Uruguayan time (GMT -3 hours). The complete list of nominations is available at the Montevideo City Hall’s website (“ Concurso de Agrupaciones Carnavalescas 2011 - Resultado ”, Montevideo City Hall, March 12 2011).
Carnival’s Competition Winners’ Round Schedule
Stage 1, Saturday, 12th March
- 2nd prize comparsa: Yambo Kenia
- 2nd prize murga: A Contramano
- 1st prize revue: La Compañia
- 2nd prize humorists: Sociedad Anónima
- 1st prize parodists: Zingaros
Stage 2, Sunday 13th, March
- 2nd prize revue: Feeling’s
- 1st prize comparsa: Tronar de Tambores
- 1st prize humorists: Cyranos
- 2nd prize parodists: Momosapiens
- 1st prize murgas: Agarrate Catalina
Stage 3, Friday 18th, March
- 1st prize revue: La Compañia
- 1st prize comparsa: Tronar de Tambores
- 1st prize humorists: Cyranos
- 1st prize parodists: Zingaros
- 1st prize murga: Agarrate Catalina
The End of the Uruguayan Carnival
Although there may be performances at some theatres during the year, with the end of the Carnival Competition comes the end of the Carnival season. Several Carnival groups will probably tour Uruguay or even other countries. Then by the end of 2011 the preparations will commence anew for a new Carnival season, so that as January of 2012 finishes Momus’ reign returns to the heart shaped country.
Pablo Rasilla - He is currently an undergraduate in Computer Engineering at the State University of Uruguay. Besides, he has studied English for more than ...
