The movie delves into the tradition of 'canastero' gypsies, with a flamenco flavor

Flamenco-world.com, April 2005

‘Bodas de Gloria’ goes on sale on DVD. The 1996 film, starring the Farruco family, is a musical that blends theatrical fiction with reality and flamenco to recount the story of the nomadic gypsies. With Farruquito - then still in his adolescence - in a leading role, the cast features Farruco in the role of the patriarch, as well as Rosario Montoya ‘La Farruca’, Pilar Montoya ‘La Faraona’, Juan de los Reyes, La Castañita, La Reta and Saray Lozano dancing for the cameras. The music is taken care of by Juana la del Revuelo, Juan Villar, Martín Revuelo, La Tobala, Juan Fernández ‘El Moreno’ and Ramón Quilate on vocals, with Pedro Sierra and Ramón Amador on guitar.

Frames from DVD "Bodas de Gloria"

Farruquito	Farruco	La Farruca
Farruquito and Juan Villar	El Moreno and family	Pedro Sierra

A year after Farruco handed the baton to Farruquito in Carlos Saura's ‘Flamenco’, grandfather and grandson gave another display of their talents in front of the cameras, this time under the watchful eye of Manuel Palacios and Ricardo Pachón for Canal+. In ‘Bodas de Gloria’ they play a clan of traveling gypsies, alongside La Farruca and La Faraona, providing a portrait of their customs through flamenco.

The storyline evolves over ten musical pieces composed, for the most part, by guitarist Pedro Sierra. A nana, alegrías, taranto, seguiriya, tangos, romance and soleá are all here, as the film builds up to Ramón Quilate's wedding piece. And the temperamental style of dance with the ‘farruco’ hallmark is the characters' vehicle of expression.

The voices are provided by Seville-born cantaoras Juana la del Revuelo and La Tobala, cantaor Juan Villar from Cadiz, Juan el Moreno (Farruquito's recently deceased father), Martín Revuelo and Ramón Quilate. On guitar are Pedro Sierra and Ramón Amador.

The movie, as well as providing a social portrait, shows the key elements of a style of flamenco dance unique to this flamenco dynasty, with a brilliant past and a future that holds guaranteed success. Something that's evident every time the family takes to the stage, just as they plan to at the Albuquerque Festival in the U.S., and the Festival A Corazón Abierto in Madrid.

Frames del DVD "Bodas de Gloria"

Farruco

Farru

magazine@flamenco-world.com