CLOSING CONCERT.
SEVILLE'S 13th BIENAL DE FLAMENCO 2004

And what is yet to come

Silvia Calado. Seville, October 10th, 2004
Photos: Daniel Muñoz

Closing concert. ‘Lo que el tiempo da, lo que el tiempo pone, lo que el tiempo quita’ (‘What time gives, what time adds, what time takes away’). Cante: Arcángel, La Macanita. Dancing: Israel Galván, Rocío Molina, Parrilla de Jerez. Guitars: Alfredo Lagos, Jerónimo, Leo de Aurora, Miguel Ochando, Miguel Ángel Cortés, Paco Cruz. Piano: Chano Domínguez. Percussion: El Chino, Juan Ruiz. Clapping: Chícharo, Gregorio. Comic, script and artistic director: José Luis Ortiz Nuevo. Maestranza Theater. Seville, October 10th, 2004. 9 p.m. Seville's 13th Bienal de Flamenco 2004.

It gives. It takes away. It adds. Time. Life. And from life to flamenco. Those who were born one hundred years ago. Those who died this year. Those who are here... and will be here. Those who will come. With the stroke of a pen, they tried to make room for everyone, from past to present, from present to future. Thus, not wanting to forget anyone this time around nor to centralize the final lead in a single person as had originally been scheduled with Farruquito, Seville's 13th Bienal de Flamenco, that of its twenty-fifth anniversary, was brought to an end. In this edition, the show was the fourth one conceived, directed and starred in by José Luis Ortiz Nuevo, who was this festival's founding director, being at the time culture councilman in Seville City Hall. And besides a mess of rush-bottomed chairs - some empty, others taken and still others to be arranged -, it had a representative staff of artists, most of whom are young with a sense of the past, plus a pianist and Parrilla de Jerez without his half.

	Israel Galván

There was even a master of ceremonies. She had to read the commemorative-political speech and greet the authorities who finally appeared at the theater on this last day to have their photo taken together with large posters and banderoles inexistent the previous thirty-odd days. It went by fast. A clock, a bell, the waves, the heart... sounds of time in off. The comic begins reciting his tall tale, his private allegory of time; half-told, half-recited. The boy announces. First, among the last to arrive: box drums, congas, djembes... A percussion duo, but little know, but little representative of the development acquired by percussion in flamenco, makes the music start off until already, so soon, the concert has excessive minutes.

‘What it gives’ (I) was thus the first piece. With a text by Joaquín Romero Murube, a milonga and a polo were woven, sung by Arcángel - who after being completely absent, has appeared two straight days at the same theater -, danced by the nearly girlish Rocío Molina - who showed good style but still little credibility - and played on the piano by Chano Domínguez, more classical and traditional tonight than jazzy. ‘What it takes away’ (I). La Paquera de Jerez passed away a few months ago. “She had a cry more powerful than grief”. And tears well up with the touching scene: Parrilla de Jerez with his guitar pointing upwards... and the chair beside him is empty. La Macanita, the cantaora's niece and heiress to her legacy, comes out to sing standing the song ‘Maldigo tus ojos verdes’ ('I Curse Your Green Eyes'), with the serious, classicistic toque of the Jerez-born guitarist, maintaining temperance and professionalism, also having lost his sister this year, bailaora Ana Parrilla. The tribute to La Paquera de Jerez, to whom he was accompanist for decades, went further. The ‘alialialiaaaali’ was heard in a recording and the guitarist danced chivalrously for her through bulerías without her snatching away the sonanta from him this time nor throwing him to the center of the stage. Chills.

Niño Ricardo was born one hundred years ago. There are young guitarists today who have already assimilated the legacy not only of Manuel Serrapí, but also of other toque greats such as Ramón Montoya and Sabicas. Jerónimo is the example. ‘What it adds’ (II) was his magnificent great-guitarist soleá and frolicking, two-fold with his brother Leo de Aurora, reinterpreting jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. ‘What time takes away’ (II). And time took away from us another brilliant figure not too long ago, Antonio Gades. The foundation bearing his name refreshed our memory with an audiovisual show going back over his artistic career. Photographs, interviews, moments from shootings, film footage... His voice, his image, his countenance, his dancing, his work, his thoughts. A sentence, that which the bailaor took from Antonia Mercé: “Only the greats can walk; anyone can dance”.

Following the intermission, the second return to time and ‘What it gives’. A stopover with Niño Ricardo. The comic reads a passage from the guitarist's biography written by Humberto Wilkes, with a portrait projected overhead. Jerónimo played the seguiriyas ‘Nostalgia flamenca’. Chano Domínguez played the granaínas ‘Gitanería arabesca’. And Miguel Ochando played ‘Suite Abraxas’, a flamenco potpourri consisting of serrana, farruca, alegrías and soleá. Nostalgia, on the one hand, but on the other, the joy of making sure that “this is not in danger”. ‘What it adds’ (III). Arcángel sings alegrías, with Miguel Ángel Cortés on toque. A vocal delight, impossible sketches, unknown melodic links... and that whispered ‘tirititrán’ upon withdrawing. ‘Arcangelical’. And it also adds dancing. If anyone represents the road from present to future in flamenco dancing, it is Israel Galván. He is a creator, and not just anybody holds that rank. He took bits from ‘Bailador’ with music by Alfredo Lagos, the choreography (the bull) which he opened his show ‘Arena’ with here just a week ago. Impacting.

Rocío Molina

La Macanita and Arcángel

Back to the past. ‘What it takes away’ (III). Juan Valderrama also left this world recently. The comic reads a brief autobiography of the cantaor and singer, whose face appears on screen. The pianist plays ‘El Emigrante’, for better or for worse, his trademark. The Huelva-born cantaor nails the fandangos from his native land, from Alosno, next to sing the song ‘Limón amargo’ through bulerías. He is in a state of grace. Chano Domínguez returns and, together with cante and guitar, they tactfully recompose ‘La novia de Reverte’. Time... which adds, which gives, which takes away and which leaves. The last monologue comes down the hallway. Remembrance to all those who have left not long ago.The list of the deceased is given with their faces projected: Antonio Gades, La Paquera de Jerez, Juan Valderrama, Ana Parrilla, El Arenero, Isidro Vargas, Enrique Orozco, Orillo del Puerto, Santiago Donday, Pepín Cabrales. And also that of those born one hundred years ago: Niño Ricardo, Manolito María, Pepe Palanca... “A century of life, a century of death and twenty-five years of Bienal”. To the cry of “one, two, one, two, three...!” the grand finale appears, with the entire company on stage. ‘A party in time, which goes on’. A bulería by Parrilla de Jerez, with substance, rhythm and lineage that has all the other young guitarists enthralled. A fandango by Arcángel. Alegrías by Rocío Molina. A bulería, with a pinch of latin jazz, by Chano Domínguez. A seguiriya by Israel... brilliant and with cante from his time. A bulería by La Macanita. And a chorus by all. “What time gives, what time takes away, what time adds...”, through bulerías. And the boy who dances to the future. We had better forget that the master of ceremonies came back out to correct the mistake of not having greeted the Minister of Culture and to say that the festival's organizers are already preparing the next edition... she was even booed.

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