FLAMENCO PA’ TOS FESTIVAL 2005

The phenomenal Sara Baras

Silvia Calado. Madrid, 20th June 2005

Flamenco Pa’ Tos Festival 2005. Sara Baras. Marina Heredia. Enrique de Melchor. Colegio de Médicos. Madrid, 20th June 2005. 9pm

SARA BARAS. Today you have to write her name in capital letters. The Cadiz-born bailaora thrilled, convinced, won admiration, cast aside doubts... she came, she saw, she conquered. The audience applauded, quivered, cried, called out, jumped to its feet, bid her farewell, welcomed her back, shouted praise and compliments, fell in love with her. And it's not that she isn't used to this type of reaction, but in the great hall in the Medical School of Madrid - dubbed the ‘Sistine Chapel of flamenco’ - everything took on another dimension: the intimacy, the fact that you could almost reach out and touch her, hear her breathing, see every detail of her dance, admire the beauty of her expression, bear testament to her elegant approach to flamenco. There's no way you can lie about it.

Sara Baras (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Sara Baras (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Sara Baras came on stage in trousers and a short waistcoat dancing a Farruca. Violin, guitars and two bailaores accompanied her for her opening number. Her serious expression, her exquisite footwork, both spectacular. Then, she was alone on stage... or so it seemed. Technically impeccable, she left plenty of room for showing off her brilliance on land. But she never forgot about the skies, drawing out evocative patterns in the air, with the rigor and the elegance the farruca demands. The silence sent a shiver down your spine. The audience gave its first ovation... standing. She's caused a stir. After an interlude during which the group performed a bulería, the shining star returned (such a star in fact that in the audience were none other than Oscar-winning director Pedro Almodóvar and actor Ralph Fiennes). Sara Baras came on wearing a red dress and swathed in an embroidered shawl. Since so many criticisms were leveled in the past at the exuberance of her footwork, she stopped the clock drawing circles in the air with her arms and arching her body in time with the compás of the soleá. She left time for the audience to savor the moment. Hypnotized. Then on her way to the bulería, she completely broke through the delicate barrier that separated her from the audience, leaving room for interaction. She danced with slight movements, letting forth shouts of her own, with a traditional aspect, showing off, poking fun, flirting. And believe me, she's beautiful. She brings it to a close once. Furious footwork as she sweeps around in a carretilla. And twice. The vocalists emerge into the spotlight. Three times. José Serrano is invited to join the fiesta. Four times. Sara Baras.

But before that phenomenal performance, plenty of things happened on the opening night of the sixth edition of the charity festival Flamenco Pa’ Tos. After the comical opening ceremony by Juan Luis Cano and Guillermo Fesser (the radio duo Gomaespuma, whose foundation is the beneficiary of this festival) and the wordy speech by José Luis Ortiz Nuevo, Enrique de Melchor kicked off the proceedings. Accompanied by his group - violin, percussion, second guitar and two voices - he selected tracks from his extensive repertoire included on the new compilation album ‘Raíz flamenca’. Tangos, fandangos, bulerías with a twist of traditional canción española, and airs of Latin American-influenced 'ida y vuelta' palos... The music by the son of Melchor de Marchena contributes light and goodwill to the evening's proceedings, the guitar adorned by the vocals of Lola and Marta Heredia, and with the lyrical flute of Juan Parrilla. As his performance drew to a close, met with a warm reception from the audience, there was a chance to stretch the legs, take a little refreshment on the patio and check to see how the prospect of a storm seemed to be fading.

Marina Heredia (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Back in the hall, the audience welcomed Marina Heredia, who finally made a return to the Spanish capital's stages. She began solo and on foot, her vocal chords bared for all to hear, with an eclectic selection of tonás. She made full use of the sweetness her voice is capable of as she began the canciones mineras, breaking into a limpid wail as they progressed. And with the soleá, which she performed with due respect and firmness, she walked a little closer to the edge - a daring choice. She perhaps gives the listener a certain reminiscence, at this stage on her path to maturity, of the great Carmen Linares, a reminder of that classical edge, of that integrity. And, to round up, she gave a sneak preview of two of the tracks from the repertoire of her eagerly-awaited second album. She did so on foot, leaving all to see her full beauty. A song 'por bulerías' with a bullfighting theme, verses by Bergamín, traditional tangos from ‘Graná’. Marina Heredia is back, a key member of that amazing generation she shares with Estrella Morente, Arcángel and Miguel Poveda. As for what came next, go back to the start of the text.... and prepare to be amazed.

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