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BIENAL DE FLAMENCO DE SEVILLA 2008. 'LA VIDA BREVE'
Flamencopera
Silvia Calado. Seville, September 11th, 2008
'Ti-me-ta-ble'. Marco Vargas & Chloé Brûlé : original idea, dramatic art, baile, choreography. Juan José Amador: cante. Diego Amador: piano. Diego Amador (Jr.): percussion. Antonio Campos: stage director. 15th Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla. Teatro Central. Seville, September 12th, 2008. 9 p.m.
Marco Vargas and Chloé Brûlé. Photo Bienal de Sevilla © Luis Castilla
The stage unity shaped by Marco Vargas and Chloé Brûlé continues to grow. The Sevillian bailaor and Canadian dancer travel together along a road of no return which sinks its discourse in lasting progression. Whether they tackle a couple's relationship as in 'Las 24', or the conceptualization of the evolution of time as in this new show, 'Ti-me-ta-ble'. But they know very well how to share even the complex. Not just with one another, but also with the audience.
The show is bursting with imagination which nevertheless plays with nearly absolute bareness. The bailaores/dancers are continually interacting on stage, with one another and with Juan José Amador, who isn't just more than a cantaor here, but rather an irreplaceable piece. He takes the risk of performing everything unaccompanied, without guitars or clapping to back his cante. And what exceptional cante it is. Moreover, he knows how to bring out his dramatic sense, move around on stage and serve the 'script' which, in this case, consists only of dance and music. Well, not only is his cante there, although it's what prevails, but also a bright fandango live on the piano by Diego Amador and recorded sounds, some of them electronic.
 Marco Vargas and Chloé Brûlé
Photo Bienal de Sevilla © Luis Castilla
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A sound repertoire which does nothing else but to emphasize the choreographic score and the intense performance of it carried out by the starring pair. All of it, putting into practice a style of their own, which is the fruit of sharing and being very free. Flamenco is the base on which this 'language' of theirs is sustained, but it is tinged with some disciplines and others, of the classical, of the contemporary, and sometimes even of the popular. But it isn't a question of dissecting; rather of feeling the flow. Which the show's esthetics contributes to, and a great deal at that. The lighting, a few little practical props (a clothes rack which is the screen that a flashback is projected on, a party of Los Amador; and the trunk which tools come out of, but when closed is a small stage), the use of the depth of the box ... And also the wardrobe, which is entirely essential. And if not, take note of the scene with the velcro vests which stick people to one another, and them to Khronos, the god of time ... and compás.
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FARRUQUITO, 'PURO'
'Puro'. Farruquito : baile, directing, music, lyrics, choreography. Juan José Amador Jr., Antonio Zúñiga, Pedro el Granaíno, Rubio de Pruna, La Tana, Encarna Anillo, María Vizárraga: cante. Antonio Rey, Juan Requena, Román Vicenti: guitars. Bernardo Parrilla: violin. Isidro Suárez: percussion. Pablo Rubén Maldonado: piano. Manuel Molina: guest artist. 15th Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla. Auditorio Rocío Jurado. Seville, September 12th, 2008. 10 p.m.
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Farruquito on 'Puro'
Photo Bienal de Sevilla © Luis Castilla |
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What a mess this flamenco business is. Just when they had us nearly convinced that purity meant, more or less, respect for the roots, it turns out now that 'pure' is something like being personal. Changes are the law of the land. And Farruquito is an example of change nowadays. The bailaor returns to stages with a show designed by and for his person, which he has entitled 'Puro'. Some two thousand people, about three quarters of the seating capacity, gathered at the Auditorio Rocío Jurado to attend the artist's 'rebirth'. Never before had he done without his family on stage. Never before had he resorted to instruments other than guitar. But now he's alone and seems to have a restless ear. Three guitars, piano, violin, percussions and seven cantaor voices join all of their forces (literally) to exalt the bailaor's figure. Which constantly comes in duplicate: on stage and on screen. And the thing is that the entire show alternates current images with pre-recorded ones. A devotion to the personage nourished, moreover, by some of the lyrics sung (some his own, others by troubadour Manuel Molina); and by the crowd present, who took advantage of every moment of silence to compliment the "prince!". The turn in accompaniment favors certain previously unseen movements. But the truth is that there are many other things which don't change. The stage animal he always was on stage does nothing but grow: he has overwhelming charisma. Nor do his fierceness and straightforward devotion vary in the performance, always at a hundred percent. Nor his attachment to cante, which he always has beside his ear, demanding inspiration from it, causing each voice to reach its limit. And above all, what remains the same is his tremendous soleá, in which he reveals the spine-tingling secret of contention.
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La Macanita, 'Aires de Jerez'
Hotel Triana, 11 p.m.
La Macanita on 'Aires de Jerez'
Photo Bienal de Sevilla © Luis Castilla
Jerez-born cantaora La Macanita presented the show 'Aires de Jerez' on the outdoor stage of the unique Hotel Triana, accompanied by guest artists such as bailaora María del Mar Moreno. |
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And tomorrow…
· 'Mujeres': Merche Esmeralda, Belén Maya, Rocío Molina
Teatro de la Maestranza, 8:30 p.m.
Further information
· 'Ultra High Flamenco' : Pablo Martín, José Quevedo, Alexis Lefèvre...
Teatro Central, 9 p.m.
Further information
· 'Dulce estrella' : Estrella Morente & Dulce Pontes
Auditorio Rocío Jurado, 11 p.m.
Estrella Morente
Photo Bienal de Sevilla
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The encounter between flamenco and fado which Estrella Morente and Portuguese fado singer Dulce Pontes have been offering all summer long materializes at Bienal 2008, within the series 'Flamencos y otras aves' ('Flamencos/Flamingos and Other Birds'). That is precisely the setting chosen for the close of the 'Dulce estrella' Tour, which has journeyed to a handful of select stages throughout the summer. The Granada-born cantaora publicly admitted that she has butterflies in her stomach, but she is ready for "Seville to be my friend tomorrow". She affirms that the show is about "singing to life, to the restlessness that moves us and we're crazy about making the audience enjoy itself". She explains that they have "work guidelines, but there's a lot of freedom on stage". And that leads her to "indulge in strolling around in fado". Which doesn't mean that she disowns flamenco flavor, but rather just the opposite: "I'm a purely flamenco cantaora, 'albaicinera', 'granaína', 'morentiana'... but I do 'Canción de mar' with my friend, which is wonderful". And the thing is that, as she affirms, "I feel like honesty, like singing well" .
Further information
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