SEVILLE'S BIENAL DE FLAMENCO 2002. 'DUENDE'

Best not look for the duende

Silvia Calado Olivo. Seville, Setember 6th, 2002
Photos: Javier Hurtado

'Duende'. Cante: Pepe de Lucía, with guitarist Niño Josele. Pansequito, with guitarist Diego Amaya. Aurora Vargas, with guitarist Diego Amaya. Dance: José Joaquín. Seville's Reales Alcázares, September 6th, 2002. 9:00 p.m.

They say 'duende' is that elusive flamenco spirit that appears out of the blue when art reaches the heights. Or something like that. But being a spirit and therefore unpredictable, it appears unsummoned. (And that's for those whose believe in such things). Last night it was assumed that there was going to be duende in the Patio de la Montería...but the duende turned down the invitation.

It lost interest right from the start when José Joaquín made his appearance in a traditional flamenco suit, the 'traje corto'. The dancer from Seville who hadn't appeared at the Bienal since 1998 with his kitschy production 'Sansueña', came on dancing soleares adorned with seguiriyas. And it all came down to a combination of contrived build-ups and prolonged silences which suffocated the ambience of the theater. A backup of five, with two cajones, one singer, one guitarist and palmas supported the dancer who is Niño de Pura's brother.

Jose Joaquín

Pansequito

Pansequito, the singer from La Línea, brought the special sound of his area. He began with alegrías, deftly supported by guitarist Diego Amaya's crisp accompaniment. Compact cante, no air-holes, frugal embellishment. The soleá was cautious with overbearing coldness...and the singer removed his jacket to close with bulerías, with an underpinning of pseudo-Jerez compás: Chícharo, Gregorio, Eléctrico... With that kind of backup, and pushing his voice, the classic setup was full of flavor. "A flamenco fiesta needs three people, one to sing, one to dance and one to play". He sang to bullfighter Curro Romero, to Seville, he stepped away from the mike...but the duende didn't come. The audience, true enough, gave a standing ovation.

The fact that he claimed to be satisfied as well as cautious, meant little to the spirit, in spite of the sincerity. Pepe de Lucía should have given up the direction of his most recent work in light flamenco-style songs, and just sat down to sing...something he knows how to do. He brought Niño Josele and some good intentions that he hoped to bring together with tangos, seguiriyas and bulerías. Beyond his physical abilities, and with the previously mentioned cautiousness, everything was working against him. His throat wasn't up to the challenge, nor was he about to take risks, nor was he on solid ground...the guitarist from Almería didn't even bother to adjust the cejilla! Pepe de Lucía, an old hand at this game, along with his brother Paco as well as on his own, could only show off his authorship and repertoire. Dramatic.

Pepe de Lucía

Aurora Vargas

At this point nobody was expecting the spirits...even though the will was strong. Aurora Vargas warmed up quickly, with the same back-up as her husband, with the opening cantñas. "Tirititrán, titirimundi, fanfarrones, relicario...". The whole bit. Although by now she was squirming in her seat, she had to control herself for tientos, where she came on strong, even competing with the bells of the Moorish tower. And she managed to communicate. She lets off sparks this powerful woman, when she puts her voice to work with tangos. Feeling braver now, she walked about, from side to side, offering her fandango lament, and they say she's a 'festera' singer... So have some bulerías. With Jerez at her back, she grew larger in her turquoise blue dress, this powerful self-sufficient woman. But the magic potion didn't work...

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