La Paeria de Lleida plans to improve and expand the cremation service with the aim of reducing the waiting list, which is currently 7 days. The mayor of the city, Fèlix Larrosa, admitted that they have "problems" to carry out cremations "when necessary" and is confident that the improvement of the service will come "sooner rather than later."
In Lleida, cremations already represent 40% of burials. Larrosa made these statements at the municipal cemetery, where this Monday the 80th anniversary of the death of Ricard Viñes was commemorated. At the event, the sculpture of the pianist was presented, which was in the square that bears his name from 1971 to 2008 and which has now been relocated by the city council in front of the niche where Viñes' remains rest, in the department of Santa Cecília.
In the Lleida cemetery, there are more than 92,000 people buried. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 783 burials and 503 cremations, maintaining the percentage of 60% of burials and 40% of cremations. However, the city council foresees an increase in the trend of the latter option and is therefore working to streamline the operation of the crematorium, which currently has a waiting time of between 6 and 7 days.
Furthermore, Fèlix Larrosa highlighted the commitment of the government team to highlight the entire site and cited as an example the department of Santa Cecília, from the 19th century and declared ruined in 2017, where rehabilitation works have been carried out to offer new niches.
Since this Monday, the municipal cemetery of Lleida has displayed the statue of Ricard Viñes (Lleida, 1875 - Barcelona, 1943), which was located for 37 years in the square that bears the pianist's name. The inauguration of the monument, which has been restored, was the central event of the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the death of the musician from Lleida.
Fèlix Larrosa, who was accompanied by the Councilor for Health, Seniors and Consumer Affairs, Anna Miranda, and the Councilor for City Promotion, Pilar Bosch, as well as a large representation of the Municipal Corporation, presided over the tribute, remembering his outstanding international career. and highlighting his strong bond with his hometown.
For his part, Màrius Bernadó, professor of Music History at the University of Lleida and director of the Scientific-Technical Service Musicology Laboratory and the Music Classroom, highlighted the figure of Ricard Viñes and how he never lost sight of his roots and his love for Lleida. He also explained that he has already begun work on the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the musician's birth, which will be celebrated in 2025.
The tribute concluded with a performance by the Viñes Piano Duo, made up of Marta Castelló and Enric Prió, both pianists and professors at the Lleida Conservatory. They performed two pieces composed by Ricard Viñes, which were arranged by the Targari composer, also a professor at the Conservatory, Ramon Andreu, with financing from M. Carme Grassa, former director of the Conservatory. The works performed were 'En Verlaine mineur' and 'Menuet spectral'.
The renowned pianist from Lleida Ricard Viñes i Roda died in Barcelona on April 29, 1943. The next day, his body was transferred to Lleida, where the Palacio de la Paeria became a chapel of burial for a few hours. Late in the afternoon of that same April 30, the musician was buried in the Santa Cecília department of the Lleida cemetery, next to his mother.
Since then, the city has had a constant memory and great appreciation for his figure. The Lleida Municipal Archive preserves his legacy, which includes all of his personal and professional documentation, including correspondence, photographs, posters and sheet music, among other documents. The city also remembers him annually with the International Piano Competition named after him.
On July 18, 1971, the city of Lleida inaugurated a monument dedicated to the musician in the same square that bears his name. This monument, in the form of a giant pedestal, was made of black marble and included a relief showing the performer sitting in front of a piano with curtains behind. On the other hand, in the part that faced Prat de la Riba Avenue, a coat of arms of the city was embedded and on a sculpture of the pianist standing holding scores in his hand on a small square pedestal, all elements made of white marble. .
The monument was removed in 2008 and it was not until 2010, with the renovation of the square carried out by Benedetta Tagliabue, that two of the elements of the old monument were replaced; the shield and the relief, which can currently be seen outside one of the exits of the plaza's underground parking lot.
The sculpture that represented the musician from Lleida was made by the sculptor Fèlix Martí. From 2008 until this year, it was in the Municipal Archaeological Archive. Finally, the work has been definitively placed in front of Ricard Viñes' niche in the Lleida cemetery.
