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SEVILLE'S BIENAL DE FLAMENCO
2002. 'LA LEYENDA'
Piecemeal premiere
Silvia Calado Olivo. Seville, September 10th, 2002
Photos: Javier Hurtado
‘La Leyenda’. Corps de ballet: Compañía Andaluza de Danza.
First dancer: Úrsula López, Elena Algado. Choreography: José Antonio Ruiz. Music:
José Antonio Rodríguez, Juan Requena, Rafael Marinelli. ‘Bodas de Sangre’. Choreography,
lighting and direction: Antonio Gades. Ballet adaptation: Alfredo Mañas. Sets
and staging: Francisco Nieva. Music: Emilio de Diego, Perelló and Monreal. Interpreters:
Ana María Bueno (mother), Raúl Gómez (fiancé), Úrsula López (bride), Miguel A.
Corbacho (Leonardo), Ana Moya (bride), Company corps de ballet (invitados a la
boda). Teatro de la Maestranza. Seville, September 10th, 2002. 9:00 p.m.
Although the local press had received all the excuses in the morning about
why the Compañía Andaluza de Danza would not fulfill its public
obligations, the issue was insultingly obvious. José Antonio Ruiz, director
of the organization supported by the coffers of the Consejería de Cultura
of the Junta de Andalucía, explained to the local edition of the ABC newspaper
that “it was materially impossible to mount the necessary sets in the available
time” to premiere ‘La Leyenda’ by the deadline given by the Teatro
de la Maestranza. The solution was to offer the work in instalments: twenty minutes
now, and the rest, who knows when... What is not known is whether they will be
allowed to do it in the same place. And as if that wasn’t enough, until an
acceptable amount of performance time was filled without complaints, a repeat
of Antonio Gades’ ‘Bodas de Sangre’. The Queen of Hearts wouldn’t
have hesitated to shout ‘off with their heads!’.
‘La Leyenda’. When it is finished, the work might achieve its expressed
purpose: to pay tribute to Carmen Amaya. For the time being, it’s just a
succession of five numbers that alternate a solo and a pas de deux of Ursula López
with Elena Algado, evoking the dance style of the Catalonian star, and group choreography
for the company. In the first piece, Embrujo, the soloist dances in an archaic
style, armed with castanets, with shadows of Spanish classical dance. In Rondeña,
the whole company is involved in asymmetrical formations of trios and couples,
in a very visual arrangement reminiscent of baroque painting. The live music (guitar,
voice, percussion) was in its just measure, with no shrillness. The group compositions
then continued in Evolución, and out came Carmen the woman, and Carmen
the man. A romantically charged pas de deux, with emphasis on aesthetic posture.
The tribute to the legendary dancer ended with a group rumba. Aside from the costumes,
where’s Carmen Amaya?
‘Bodas de Sangre’. The second part, unfortunately tagged as a fill-in,
employed all the tricks of the trade to make an impression: a Lorca work, sifted
through an Antonio Gades formula… There was drama, there was a story line,
there was knowledgeable staging, there was a search for popular themes, there
was tasteful lighting, there were cinematic tricks (the slow-motion duel with
Caravaggio-style lighting is a real masterpiece), there was wisdom in the handling
of the material and taste in that of the artists… It was a sure bet. So everyone
applauds…and no harm done.
| Behind the scenes
Throughout Seville’s Bienal de Flamenco, a sorry sight is being repeated
over and over. The seats reserved for VIP’s are remaining empty. Whole rows
sometimes, and up front of course. And this not only shows lack of respect for
the artists, who find themselves with no audience in their line of vision, but
also, and more importantly, for fans who get to the box-office only to read “Sold
out” signs.
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revista@flamenco-world.com
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