MARÍA PAGÉS. PREMIERE OF ‘SEVILLA’. TEATRO DE LA MAESTRANZA

An anthology show

Silvia Calado. Seville, December 28th, 2006
Photos: Ouka Leele

‘Sevilla’. María Pagés Company. Idea and script: María Pagés and José María Sánchez. Director: José María Sánchez. Choreography: María Pagés. Stage design: Christian Olivares. Lighting: Dominique You and José María Sánchez. Bailaoras: María Pagés, Sonia Fernández, María del Mar Jurado, Isabel Rodríguez. Bailaores: Emilio Herrera, José Barrios, José Antonio Jurado, Alberto Ruiz. Ana Ramón, Ismael de la Rosa: cante. Batio Hangonyi: cello. José Carrillo ‘Fity’, Rubén Lebaniegos, Isaac Muñoz: guitar. Chema Uriarte, Francisco Alcaide: percussion. Festival Sevilla entre Culturas 2006. Teatro de la Maestranza. Seville, December 27th and 28th, 2006. 8:30 p.m.

María Pagés (Photo: Ouka Leele)

“Seville is a mystery”. And María Pagés doesn’t want to figure it out, but rather enjoy it. To do so, she pulls out all the stops of what, over time, has shaped up her heritage as an artist. But despite the continuous self-references and the use of the cliché as an artery of this work, she cannot avoid the surprise factor. And the result is a high-quality show, ready to export a sort of flamenco which is easy to digest, colorful and up-to-date.

The show, which premiered last May in Tokyo, reaches Seville now ready to shine before its audience. A few aspects might need to be adjusted such as the length of certain pieces and the intensity of the lights (so weak at times that they hinder enjoyment of the baile), but the show is well prepared to reap in applause. And a lot at that. The bailaora’s neighbors didn’t skimp on ovations at the presentation at the Teatro de la Maestranza. They had their reasons.

To begin with, the ode to a city whose inhabitants are fervent about it. The decoration with regards to its most emblematic monuments and nooks and crannies, the pieces devoted to its festivals and beliefs (including the Fair, Holy Week and bullfighting), the flattering lyrics which flamenco has dedicated to it; ‘Carmen’ by Bizet. Continued by the wisdom which María Pagés has not only to move the group around on stage – which she is always brilliant at -, but in the painstaking care taken in the show’s presentation: from the extremely original wardrobe to the resources in the stage design. And having notable weight there is the work by filmmaker José María Sánchez – a usual collaborator in María Pagés’s work – in this last work before his death.

And to round off the show, the star’s merit as a performer. Little remains to be said about the plastic art of her movements and the flight of her arms; therefore, what should be highlighted this time is perhaps both the depth she achieves in her most intimate solos as well as the looseness of her flamenco in the most outgoing solos por tangos and por bulerías.

As usual, the Sevillian artist knows how to surprise with new resources which aren’t going to be revealed here and which are not lacking in humor. Though the thick of the show consists of quoting herself, taking a look back and shaping up, bit by bit, a new show beginning with the previous ones. There is something of ‘De la luna al viento’, ‘El perro andaluz’, ‘Flamenco Republic’, even ‘Canciones, antes de una guerra’, and of course, that custom of hers of making any type of music danceable flamenco-style: from Shostakovich to Sarasate, with Gardel and Serrat in between (both packaged, and in the version by the company’s group, which also reels of its own creations for the occasion). So ‘Sevilla’ is nearly an anthology by María Pagés about María Pagés, this time peering out over the mirroring waters of the Guadalquivir.

magazine@flamenco-world.com