Madrid completes a month packed with flamenco with this festival

Flamenco-world.com, May 2003

Madrid is overflowing with flamenco in May. Following visits to Spain's capitals by cantaores like La Paquera, Agujetas and Remedios Amaya; the album presentations of Chaquetón and Ramón Jiménez; and the continued success of Sara Baras at Calderón Theater, a triple feature series puts the finishing touch on the month. 'A corazón abierto' centers this seventh edition on dance with performances, from May 22nd to 24th, 2003, by El Güito, Javier Barón and Eva Yerbabuena at Albéniz Theater.

Javier Barón in 'Dime' (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

'A corazón abierto' comes of age with the first feature edition in its seven years of existence. The Madrid festival has chosen dance as its motif on a bill that brings bailaores El Güito, Javier Barón and Eva Yerbabuena to Albéniz Theater. On Thursday, May 22nd in this forum, the veteran bailaor from Madrid will premiere his new show: 'My memories. To Pilar López, my maestra'. The following day, the Sevillian bailaor will bring his new show 'Dime' to Madrid for the first time, a homage to the most festive Lorca in which Diego Carrasco, Manuel Soler, Juan José Amador and José Luis Ortiz Nuevo collaborate. The Granada-born bailaora will close the festival with the show 'Eva Yerbabuena. Flamenco'.

The series, directed by Juan Verdú, christened the College of Doctors as a flamenco stage in 1997 with the first edition inaugurated by cantaor Enrique Morente from Granada. Since then, the festival's history is dotted with recognized names like José Mercé, José Menese, Carmen Linares and Remedios Amaya; as well as new-generation artists such as the cantaores Duquende, Miguel Poveda, Arcángel, Mayte Martín, Diego el Cigala and the bailaoras Sara Baras and Eva Yerbabuena, among others.

More flamenco

This is not, however, the only flamenco date in May in the city of Madrid. Throughout the month there have been performances on different stages in the capital and its suburbs by artists such as María Pagés and Remedios Amaya; La Paquera, Agujetas and Rancapino in Alcobendas; singer and bailaor Tomasito at the San Isidro Festival; Cádiz-born cantaor Chaquetón and guitarist Ramón Jiménez in their respective album presentations; besides recitals in small halls by musicians like Óscar Herrero and Nono García.

El Güito (Photo: Javier Hurtado)