‘TARANTOS’. FLAMENCO MUSICAL

New format. New audience

S. C. Madrid, September 2005

'Tarantos’. Ana Salazar: Juana. Juan Carlos Lérida: Ismael. Carmelilla Montoya: Soledad. Candy Román: Rosendo. Miguel Cañas: Juan Encueros. Antoñete: El Picao. Emilio Hernández: direction. Javier Latorre: choreography. Tomatito and Chicuelo: original score. Based on the novel ‘La historia de Los Tarantos’ (‘The Taranto Family Story’) by Alfredo Mañas. Albéniz Theater. Madrid, from September 11th to October 2nd, 2005.

Los Tarantos (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Flamenco premieres a new format. Following the recent boom of musicals in the major cities around Spain, a new gateway to the main stages has opened up for the Andalusian art. Baile, cante, music and dialogues add up to a whole in order to tell flamenco tales another way. And ‘Tarantos’ premieres the new route. One year after its hit premiere in Barcelona, the musical comes to Madrid for nearly a month to captivate a heterogeneous audience, beyond flamenco's, the usual one at the theaters in the Spanish capital.

As everyone knows the story - that Romeo and Juliet, gypsy-style, that Rovira Beleta took to the silver screen with Carmen Amaya as the hostess -, the quid of the matter is how it is to be told musical-style. For starters, the limitation of the theater's space must be overcome. And it is solved here with a neutral two-story structure, with doors, stairs and corridors which dynamize the action. The tale would remain in indefinite time and space if it weren't for the pictures of the old Somorrostro neighborhood of huts serving as a prologue, if it weren't for the sound of the sea which the characters of the drama sometimes look out upon.

But neither the stage design nor the structure is what is most interesting about ‘Tarantos’. What is most surprising is the ability of artists who have hitherto developed a single facet of flamenco - baile-, to broaden registers and wisely tackle acting and cante. With Ana Salazar, who plays Juana (that is, Juliet), it was already known because of her album ‘Ana Salazar canta a Edith Piaf’. But with Carmelilla Montoya... She plays the role of Soledad, the ‘Taranta’ mother, dancing, speaking and singing. She's splendid. The same has to be said about Juan Carlos Lérida (Ismael), Candy Román (Rosendo), Antoñete (Picao)... The entire cast's work is laudable, as is hence that of director Emilio Hernández; more so if you bear in mind that there are hardly any prior comparable experiences. The dialogues are well-measured and focused naturally.

	Los Tarantos (Foto: Daniel Muñoz)

And baile. Javier Latorre authors a choreography based on group movement and conceived thinking of the flow of action. Within this concept, he fits in flamenco dancing with the quality the Valencia-born choreographer has us used to. Tangos, bulerías, rumbas, alegrías, tanguillos... intertwine, stressing the narration. There are solos worthy of mention, like the one by Bohemian Juan Encueros, performed by dancer Miguel Cañas. And brimming with charm are the little Alegrías bailes, emulating the character of the same name in the film played by La Singla in her day.

Baile and cante merge on stage. The ‘serious’ cantes are taken care of by two cantaores always located on stage but in the middle distance, El Coco and Amara Rey. The ballads are done by the main characters: ‘Niña’, ‘Cuchillito moro’ (composed by Tomatito) and ‘Ismael’. And the tangos and rumbas, always sprinkled with touches of wit and catchy refrains, are performed by the entire cast. Thus combined is humor, romanticism, tragedy, tension... climates always varied by the music composed by guitarist Chicuelo. It is performed live, from the first floor, by a band with guitars, sax, keyboards, percussions, bass and violin, among other instruments. The lighting with cold tones and the wardrobe, austere and monochrome, contribute to unifying the ambience. The whole works effectively. It's open season for the flamenco musical.

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