Following somewhat of a lull after Valencia’s and Castellón’s ferias, it felt like Europe’s temporada really got going over the Easter weekend, with major and multiple events at Sevilla, Madrid, Málaga, Arles and Zaragoza, Easter being so late this year it was also incorporated within the latter’s Feria de San Jorge. The figuras were out in force, but there were a number of surprises as to the toreros who made the headlines at a point when contracts later in the season are still to be settled.

April 19 produced two outstanding performances that may well have resonance later in the temporada. At Málaga, Saúl Jiménez Fortes produced a faena that reportedly had many in the tendidos in tears, so moved were they by the veteran torero’s exquisite positioning and temple. He killed well to win two ears and go out on shoulders alongside Andrés Roca Rey on an afternoon when the bulls of Álvaro Núñez also impressed. Fortes will reappear in Madrid on May 21 with bulls of Araúz de Robles and he has been announced facing miuras in Algeciras’s June feria, with rumours he will also appear in Santander’s miurada in July; it will be interesting to see how he copes with bulls that don’t normally lend themselves to his concept of toreo. In the meantime, should a vacancy occur in Sevilla’s upcoming carteles, don’t be surprised if Fortes is selected to fill it.

The other artista to make headlines that day was Clément Dubecq Clemente, who cut three ears in the opening corrida of Arles’s feria. Making the most of an excellent string of El Parralejo bulls, Clemente lost a fourth ear with a less-than-perfect estocada to his first animal, but, as mundotoro’s reporter put it, “He pressed the accelerator on the basis of two virtues: the courage to settle down and pass the bull closely, and use of the wrists to dominate with temple and impose his rhythm.” With two strong seasons in France behind him, Clemente is well set for a strong season in his home country again this year (including two corridas on the same day during Nîmes’ Pentecost feria). His upcoming confirmación de alternativa in Madrid on May 9 - with Victoriano del Río bulls, which should suit him - is likely to determine to what extent he performs in Spain this year.

April 20, still at Arles, saw debutant Tomás Rufo steal the show from Andrés Roca Rey and Emilio de Justo, although all three went out on shoulders after facing Jandilla bulls. The toledano’s first faena was typical of him, begun with a series of excellent derechazos from on his knees, before the matador got to his feet to bring off wonderful curving passes on each hand and a strong kill, rewarded with two ears. His second faena impressed this writer even more, though. It can be argued that Rufo has fought fairly easy fare throughout his career to date, but this jandilla was a difficult, complicated animal. Nevertheless, Tomás stuck to his task, gradually dominating the bull and sweetening the passes, his work ending to a merited ovation.

Meanwhile, at Madrid’s Las Ventas, Rafaelillo, Juan Leal and Francisco de Manuel faced a string of terroríficos palhas, Juan Leal emerging as triunfador de la tarde. Despite the challenges posed by his opponents, the Frenchman remained true to his concept of toreo, exhibiting immense bravery while still attempting to pass his animals closely in linked series. He had a scary moment when his first bull opted to go for the man rather than the capote a portagayola, and a miraculous escape when the second bull’s horn pierced his jacket in a cogida at the kill. Juan, looking to re-emerge as a torero of worth in Spain, won the respect of the Madrid public and has put himself at the head of a line of toreros hoping for a substitute spot during the San Isidro feria.

Easter Monday, April 21, saw Arles’s closing corrida with Miguel Ángel Perera, Paco Ureña and Fernando Adrián and bulls of Virgen María and, once again, the debutant - in this case, Fernando Adrián - was the triunfador. His second bull was the best animal of the string, Fernando (and the president, who insisted on a third entry) allowing it to show its qualities in a splendid tercio de varas. After beginning the faena on his knees, Adrián produced excellent series of linked muletazos on each hand before ending with circulares and some ojedista toreo. A committed estocada soon dropped the bull and Fernando, who had once again made the point that he deserves regular placing on the main feria circuit, added two ears to the one he’d been awarded after his opening faena.

*Aarón Palacio (image from bmftoros.com)*

On the novillada circuit, the main winner over the course of the Easter weekend was the aragonés Aarón Palacio, who, finally making his first appearance con picadores in his home ring of Zaragoza on April 19, cut three ears in a mano a mano with Cristiano Torres. The following morning, the youngster impressed at Arles, winning an ear from his first novillo and losing two ears with the sword and taking a vuelta instead after the death of his second. The two performances confirmed Aarón’s status as one of, if not the, leading novilleros of 2025, with a busy season likely lying ahead of him.

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