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SEVILLE'S BIENAL DE FLAMENCO
2002. 'PODERÍO'
About energy, dynamic presence, commitment...
Flamenco-world.com
'Poderío'. Cante: La Macanita, with Diego de Morao
on the guitar. Bernarda de Utrera, with Antonio Moya on the guitar. La
Paquera, with Parrilla de Jerez on the guitar Dance: Angelita Vargas,
with Juan José Amador singing.
Reales Alcázares de Sevilla, September 3rd, 2002, 9:00 p.m.
A historic collection of artists for a historic setting. And a historic program
to open Seville's twelfth Bienal de Flamenco. La Macanita, Bernarda de Utrera,
La Paquera de Jerez, Angelita Vargas. Four names that add up to enough energy
to illuminate all Seville. It's all about 'poderío' or power, that
dynamic presence, knowledge, commitment, woman power...that's what 'poderío'
is.
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| La Macanita (Photos: Javier Hurtado) |
Macanita, standing, dressed in pink, opened 'a capella'...toná. The
throat opens like a flower, stretching, entwining notes, alone before the monumental
Moorish face of the Patio de la Montería. Along with Diego de Morao, and
the regular trio of palmeros, Tomasa Guerrero lets herself sink into soleá,
inserting verses from 'La luna de Tomasa', with little defense to be sure in this
recital, hushing the bells from the nearby Cathedral. Her hair combed in the old
style, with undulating waves, as in the old pictures of Pastora, she cheers on
Moraíto's son, with compás flowing through her veins, paving the
way for the catchy 'tomaquetoma' of the bulerías. A guitar intro,
apt and playful, prologues the 'made in Jerez' ditties. The trio is grooving in
compás, preparing the little dance, Macana stands and moves away from the
mike, she dances...warm clear voice, dance, popular song...
Bernarda de Utrera (Photo: Javier Hurtado)
Bernarda comes on eliciting applause for her absent other half, Fernanda, she
is the picture of sorrow. Dressed in blue, her eyes shaded, she apologizes for
her nervousness, like a beginner, full of heart...drowning the ravages of age.
Soleá is her cante, as she later noted in bulerías, "fue Mercé
La Serneta, la que mejor lo cantaba, que buena escuela ha dejao, ay que cante
más gitano, la Fernanda y la Bernarda, lo llevamos de la mano", ['it
was Mercé La Serneta, who sang better than anyone, what a great legacy
she left, what gypsy songs, Fernanda and Bernarda, hand in hand']. Fandangos
as only she knows how. Bulerías, the way they do it in those parts...and
giving in to age, and the insinuated dance, and living history. Hats off.
Paquera de Jerez (Photo: Javier Hurtado)
Paquera bigger than life. Standing, clutching a wicker chair with her right
hand like a ground to prevent electrocution. Parrilla embracing his guitar with
a one leg raised on a chair: their special look. The throat explodes, full faculties,
all of her, por soleá. The free hand sketches the guitar variations, traditional
and apt, the chair floating off the floor, self-amplification, pounding her chest...and
there, before her eyes, the Giralda: "No sé qué moro fue el
que le dio a la Giralda ese empaque de mujer", ['I don't know what Moor
it was who made the Giralda into such a woman']. Tientos. Fandangos. "A
little bulerías". And the guitar is snatched from Parrilla's hands
so he can do his dance. The Alcázar all standing. This could have been
the perfect icing on the cake, but there was also a slot for dancing...a woman,
from Jerez. Angelita Vargas barely went beyond merely marking out her dance, saving
her power for the final fiesta number in which Paquera de Jerez couldn't get enough
of Bernarda de Utrera. A kiss on the forehead and a whispered comment heard only
by the Giralda, another female, also powerful.
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The other side
The applause was all for them, and the bouquet of roses went to the woman from
the Ministry of Culture, who for some strange reason, took the better part of
the honors. Sixty thousand euros, barely three percent of the festival's total
budget, not exactly sufficient reason to say that this woman "deserves all
the credit", Angelita.
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