Mercedes Borrull

Mercedes Borrull Giménez, who would be known as "La Gitana Blanca", was the daughter of guitarist Miguel Borrull Giménez, and granddaughter of Miguel Borrull Castelló, who was also a famed flamenco guitarist. Both him and her father played to her aunts' Isabel and Julia flamenco dances, performing as Las Egipcias in Madrid and Paris, until the family settled in Barcelona. There they purchased Can Macià and reopened it as an Andalusian-style cafe (tablao flamenco) called Café Villa Rosa in the 1910s. Julia posed for painter Romero de Torres and many Catalan artists like Rusiñol attended the cafe. Mercedes cousin Trini Borrull was first dancer at the Liceu. They were successful as flamenco was in demand during the 20s, and the family staged many shows at Barcelona's theaters, took part in the Exposició Internacional (World Fair) in 1929 and toured to Paris. Mercedes father became dancing director at La Bodega at Barcelona's Hotel Colón and also opened a second cafe, the Alhambra Borrull. After the Spanish Civil War tastes changed from singing cafes to theatre shows, and he would become his daughter's usual guitar accompanist, recording many records together. Mercedes started her own company which ran successfully though the 40s, as well as starring in a few movies as Malvaloca (1942), Macarena (1944) or Viento de siglos (1945). Some of her onstage longer-running shows were Alma Española (Spanish Soul) and Romancero Gitano, and El Amor Brujo at the Liceu. In the 50s she married the Count of Moix, became countess and left her career at her peak. They had two sons, Carlos and Miguel Ángel. She died in Barcelona at 84 years of age.