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SEVILLE’S 2006 BIENAL DE FLAMENCO. CLOSING GALA
The last baile
Silvia Calado. Seville, October 15th,
2006
‘Gala de clausura’. First
part. Baile: Manolo Marín, Merche Esmeralda,
Nani Paños. Special collaboration: Diana Navarro. Cante:
David Lagos, Tamara Tañé, Pitingo. Guitar: Alfredo
Lagos, José Arenas, Juan Campallo, Antonia Jiménez.
Violin: Juan Pablo Zielinski. Percussion: Sergio Martínez.
Piano: Chico Valdivia / Second part. Baile: Manuela
Carrasco. Guitar: Pedro Sierra, Joaquín Amador,
Miguel Iglesias, Eugenio Iglesias. Cante: Enrique el Extremeño,
La Tobala, Antonio Zúñiga, Juan José
Amador Jr., Samara Amador. Percussion: José Carrasco.
Clapping: Torombo / Director: Ramón Oller. Lighting
design: Olga García. Seville’s 14th Bienal de
Flamenco 2006. Teatro de la Maestranza. Seville, October 15th,
2006. 8:30 p.m.
Manuela Carrasco (Photo:
Daniel Muñoz)
It had to be just on the last night when
the Teatro de la Maestranza offered its greatness to Seville’s
2006 Bienal de Flamenco. Without taking anything away from
the other theaters in the city, but the thing is that flamenco
takes on another dimension at the main venue. You can even
see it in the way the crowd dresses... Seville is really presumptuous.
The flamenco festival has come to an end and, with the official
attendance figures still pending, it’s time to size
things up. As in every edition, we should begin with a positive
appraisal which, a priori, is the variety of the shows, the
display of a view of the present – and some notes on
the future – of flamenco art. And yet to be exhibited
at this edition was the maturity of baile with a Sevillian
trademark, whether it belongs to the school or not. That might
be why the contrast was chosen between the personalization
of classicism which has been developed by Merche
Esmeralda and that also Sevillian but temperamental and
racial baile represented by Manuela
Carrasco. Apollonian vs. Dionysian. And without forgetting
Manolo
Marín as part of the generation of maestros who
have upheld and established the bases.
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Manolo Marín (Photo:
Daniel Muñoz) |
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That’s how the gala began; with the
instructor guiding his pupils por bulerías, in silence,
just compás and motion-formwork. Next, the bata de
cola and shawl and cantiñas and Merche Esmeralda. Smooth,
bright, sensual baile with foreshortened esthetics and winged
arms. And lyrical was the voice of singer Diana Navarro –
who could very well have been a cantaora as it was the close
of what it was -, stringing a copla in a very baroque triune.
She sings the song which has made her famous, ‘Sola’,
to the bailaora, who now feels like a dancer and, dressed
in golden strass, waits for a lover (who could be a son...
adjustments sometimes miss in dance, too) in an armchair carved
out of a tree trunk. Pas de deux tinted as contemporary with
Nani Paños. To see a couple work, we’ll have
to wait for the next pas de deux, which she uses to put the
icing on the cake por tangos together with Manolo Marín,
recovered from the Gala de Andalucía which inaugurated
Flamenco Festival USA last year. Art of the people. What a
poem to patio flamenco, to wit and mischief. And all of it
cheered on by a group highlighted by the voices of Tamara
Tañé and David
Lagos– whose echo is more and more embellished -,
since Pitingo’s shone little; and amidst the guitars,
finally, the presence of a woman; Antonia Jiménez.
Though first came a harmless farruca by Nani Paños;
the bailaora’s soleá, solemn and stately in a
red bata de cola; and the bailaor’s tientos, a real
demonstration of how this city dances in male form, without
excesses or affectation, measured-out, with poise and elegance.
There goes one bailaor Seville. The other
one comes after intermission. The gala’s director, contemporary
choreographer Ramón Oller, had little work with the
second part, except for installing a ramp which the star had
to go down perhaps at the risk of her physical integrity.
And the thing is that Manuela Carrasco doesn’t need
embellishments. Her presence alone on stage takes your breath
away. She was backed by her usual group, highlighted by Pedro
Sierra on guitar, constantly sticking in mentions of his
latest album, ‘Nikelao’; and cantaor Enrique
el Extremeño, cante with bearing and the right
poise. And she upheld her usual repertoire: seguiriya, taranto,
soleá. She came out dressed in beige, reflecting golden
glitter, standing firm in profile, lifting up her arms with
zero acceleration. And then, fire. Manuela Carrasco’s
temperament and rage have feeling, course and class; that’s
where her worth lies as an artist. Following the musical interlude,
the taranto. Enrique el Extremeño sings for her standing.
And she’s able to sketch out an entire set of lyrics
for him with her feet still; just with her arms and gestures.
The motion always has space and time in her as references;
that’s her dynamics. Though when it’s time to
call earth, what accurate full-fledged heel tapping. Then
she brought in a very special guest in the final soleá.
From the heavens, Camarón
de la Isla sang lyrics to bullfighter Curro Romero for
her. And she whirled her shawl-cape and came down. Beginning.
Simmering baile, sent to the troops, defying the audience,
measuring out the flurries, convincing with firm arguments.
Camarón de la Isla sings the last cante. And the end.
Merche Esmeralda and Nani Paños
(Photo: Daniel Muñoz)
magazine@flamenco-world.com
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