|
Interview with Chano Lobato,
Matilde Coral and Juan Habichuela
While they're with us
Silvia Calado Olivo, September 2003
Photos: Daniel Muñoz
Chano Lobato
|
Matilde Coral
|
Chano Lobato and Juan Habichuela close their eyes.
"How old are you, Chano?"
"Me? Nineteen... how about you?"
"Sixteen"
'Historias de arte' is a flashback, a beautiful journey through time, to salvage
the flamenco of yesteryear, for the delight of nostalgia buffs and as an exemplary
lesson to the uninitiated. A meeting of three strong personalities, a meeting
which is in some way an elixir of youth for its participants, natural medicine…
And it's also a living homage to three artists whose parallel, interwoven careers
have lent dignity to the genre of flamenco, on the back of hard work during trying
times in the industry.
Chano Lobato, Matilde Coral and Juan Habichuela cast the mind back to another
era - one of tablaos, touring, suffering and 'fatigas' - using their artistry
as a medium, in the form of 'cante', guitar, dancing… or just speaking. In
the words of the cantaor from Cadiz, "the old things you miss are made up
for by the recognition flamenco commands today. In those days it was terrible
being an artist, it was really hard. Things have taken a turn for the better...
These days the standards are high… I'm going to leave soon, because I've
got to go, that's the law of nature, but I'll be going safe in the knowledge that
flamenco is firmly on the map." The guitarist from Granada, though, prefers
to look back at the past:
| |
|
|
Chano Lobato: "I'll be going safe in the knowledge that
flamenco is firmly on the map"
|
|
|
"What does getting back together with these guys mean to me? Memories...
I met Chano in '53 at El Duende. The truth is that Chano to me is a person worthy
of respect, because he worked hard at it through the lean years; in the better
years and with the boom we're enjoying nowadays, he's revered and loved by audiences.
We're admired in spite of our age, and it's truly satisfying for us to see audiences
treat us so well. I don't think we even deserve it. It hits straight to the heart,
that applause like the audience gave us tonight will stay with us forever."
Saturday, August 9th 2003. They just came off stage at the old market building
in La Unión, where they gave one of the finest performances of the 43rd
Festival del Cante de Las Minas. The dressing rooms are alive with smiling, happy
flamenco-lovers chasing that photo, hunting down that autograph, just wanting
to meet their idols. All three know that tonight they were truly inspired…
and that the audience felt that. Both the guitarist and the cantaor agree that
the dancing tonight was especially magical. Chano Lobato observes that Matilde
Coral "had an amazing moment, full of 'duende'. It's really important when
you're filled with inspiration like that. She was just incredible tonight. I mean
Matilde always has had a kind of magical power… She leaned towards the classical...
and that's where she shines. She's been there, she's a real artist." Juan
Habichuela adds that "she's a supreme artist, her appearance and her way
of dancing come from centuries past. You have to see her, and see how the audience
lap up her performance, she had them in the palm of her hand tonight."
Juan Habichuela
She herself knows it was a special performance. And she puts it down to the
fact that her whole family "has been praying for me a lot."
What does it mean to you?
| |
|
|
Matilde Coral: "I need to dance - it's my life therapy"
|
|
|
"To dance? Tonight's show meant at least two stress-free months, that
about sums it up, because the last two years I've been overwhelmed by the death
of my brother Mimbre and my husband's illness. And the doctor himself was the
one who made me dance tonight, I don't make any money out of it… I mean I
get paid like everyone else, but mine goes straight to charity. I need to dance
- it's my life therapy. I'd rather the Lord graced me with a gentle death while
dancing; that would be perfect."
I was going to ask what it means to you being back together with your old companions...
"It means everything. And the delight of the audience, the young and the
old. It makes you say, my God, that was something. You forget all the prizes and
medals, you're just thinking you're an artist who was just what the audience was
looking for, that you gave your all and that people still respect you. Years of
performing on stage made me wise, I could keep the audience captivated every time.
I had them in my grasp with those furious movements, so long as I put feeling
into it, because if your audience sees that you're putting your soul into it you
can move mountains... Can you imagine me jumping around and stamping out a furious
'zapateado' now? It just wouldn't be me. So, I dance in a manner appropriate to
how strong I feel at that particular moment. And I swear I lost all feeling in
my feet from being in this posture (she flexes her foot out into a point like
only she knows how. She sighs). I haven't danced at all since February."
And she too heaps praise on her colleagues. Regarding Juan Habichuela, she comments,
"he's one of the greatest guitarists, one of the most dedicated, serious
and elegant. He always leaves room for 'cante', and is always right on time, he
plays with the best vocalists because he's an artist who forms an undeniable part
of the history of Spain." And of Chano Lobato... "Well you can imagine.
Chano was my feet and my hands when I was dancing. And as a solo artist he went
on to reach great heights. The truth is it's a pleasure to work with them."
As for their attitude toward the challenge of performing together, Chano Lobato
affirms that while it gives "great satisfaction, we're always afraid - in
spite of our age - because of the responsibility on our shoulders, and because
at this age you're verging on… I mean we don't want to make fools of ourselves,
do we. And you've seen the proof that it is possible to sing, dance or play guitar
gently and in keeping with our frailty. At rehearsal today all three of us were
nervous, we felt terrible. And look how great it turned out. Juan keeping time
with such verve. All three of us did our bit, and it worked." Juan Habichuela
added the final note: "we haven't got too long to go, but don't count us
out yet. We still have a little flamenco in our bodies, you saw that, right?"
revista@flamenco-world.com
|
