The town hall of Ontinyent, through its Linguistic Promotion Office, the Vall d’Albaida Coordinator for the Defence and Use of Valencian, and the Sant Carles Public Centre for Adult Education, is set to host the second collective reading of 'Tirant lo Blanc' on Thursday, 19 November. This event is part of the celebrations for Valencian Book Day, which is open to the public.
Culture councillor Àlex Borrell stated that last year's reading was well-received, prompting the decision to continue this initiative to highlight Valencian literary heritage and introduce a universal work like 'Tirant lo Blanc' to new generations and the wider community.
This year's event will feature Fernando Lliso Bartual, head of libraries in Ontinyent, as the honorary guest, who will commence the reading with the dedication and prologue of the book. The reading is aimed at students in the fourth year of secondary education and those in the baccalaureate from local educational institutions, as well as students from the Sant Carles centre and the general public, with over 120 participants already registered.
Manolo Requena, the town hall's linguistic promoter, noted that the session on 19 November at 10:00 will include institutional participation from representatives of the town hall, the Coordinator, the Sant Carles centre, and other organisations. Following the opening, readings will commence from educational centres and the general public.
In the afternoon, before concluding the event, there will be a tribute to Manolo Boix, a prominent illustrator of the edition being used for the reading, who recently passed away. Interested individuals can reserve their reading slot by contacting the Linguistic Promotion Office via phone at 962918200, extension 333, or by email at promotorlinguistic@ontinyent.es with the subject line 'II collective reading Tirant', receiving confirmation of their assigned time thereafter.
This initiative aligns with the commemoration of Valencian Book Day, established by the Generalitat Valenciana on 20 November 2010 to honour the date in 1490 when the first edition of Joanot Martorell's 'Tirant lo Blanc' was printed by Nicolau Spindeler in Valencia. This edition, in folio format with a print run of 715 copies, marked a significant moment in Valencian printing history, with three nearly complete copies and some pages likely belonging to the volume held at the University of Valencia, noted for their similarities in appearance and handwritten annotations.
'Tirant lo Blanc', an emblematic work from the Golden Age of Valencian literature, was saved from the bonfire in 'Don Quixote' and is regarded as the beginning of modern European novels, representing the greatest Valencian contribution to universal literature. Miguel de Cervantes famously claimed that 'Tirant lo Blanc' was the best book in the world. The narrative follows the adventures of its protagonist, Tirant, a hero who liberates Constantinople from Turkish rule, portraying a more human knight who suffers for the love of Carmesina. Its varied and rich plot, ranging from serious tones to humour, cruelty to sensuality, makes it an enjoyable and timeless read. 'Tirant lo Blanc', a pinnacle of chivalric novels in Valencian and of the Valencian Golden Age, was translated into Spanish (1511) and Italian (1538) in the 16th century, later into French (1737), and more recently into English (1984) and many other languages.
