Savoring flamencura

Carlos Sánchez. Los Palacios (Seville), October 23rd to 28th, 2006

Neither the bad weather mystifying the sky over Seville or the ‘post-Bienal’ hangover and syndrome worked havoc at the 2006 Mistela Festival. The name of the festival comes from the typical local drink, a sweet, savory wine. That’s the very essence of an event taking firm strides, combining mastery with youth in an alliance between the three categories the jondo genre branches out into: cante, baile and guitar. Personified through the art of several generations of artists, from Rocío Molina– awarded the Venencia Flamenca 2006 - to Pansequito; from Aurora Vargas to Fuensanta la Moneta, with Tomás de Perrate and Esperanza Fernández in between. Without forgetting Niño de Pura on guitar. The audience responded on each and every one of the days, filling the seats of the main venue in this little town near Seville.

Niño de Pura
(Photo Festival Mistela - J. A. Belver)

The Municipal Theater of Los Palacios opened its doors on October 23rd with ‘El color de los verdiales’, a tribute to the province of Málaga – in the shape of an exhibit -, which was rounded off with a performance by a verdiales gang. A real declaration to past, pre-flamenco eras. A return to the roots which served as a prologue to the cante by local artist María José Carrasco, a young cantaora with a festive slant and reliable mastery of the compás. It’s now tradition for the festival to spend the first day introducing young local artists into society.

The next day, coming from the nearby town of Utrera was the cante of Tomás de Perrate, the son of Perrate de Utrera and grandson of Manuel Torres. The young Utrera-born artist sat down in the middle of the stage to present part of his latest album, ‘Perraterías’. He warmed up with rhythmic tonás with Antonio Moya hammering on his guitar. His knuckles opened up the way for Tomás’s deep, powerful timbre. The Utrera-born cantaor has many pleasant memories of the land of mistela: “I sang in public for the first time here”. And he wanted to reward that opportunity by offering those present a wide range of lyrics por bulerías. A change of pace prior to the seguiriyas, perfectly accompanied by toque. An unfathomable voice, forged in the earth. And rhythmic in the tangos de Málaga. Piyayo style. Bare, without arrangements or drums. Unhurried and full of talent. Until he closed his performance por bulerías.

Half of the night remained. Esperanza Fernández, accompanied on guitar by her brother Paco. As versatile a voice as any. With an extensive repertoire and measured-out performance. With flawless cante. Instinctive and creative. Decisive and willing. Like in the abandonaos, where the fringes of her shawl vibrated with excitement when pouring out the granaína. Spilling and scattering the flamencura of her voice. And showing off knowledge. Por cantiñas. Wisdom and power when approaching the seguiriya. Measured-out in feeling and sense when it’s time for fiesta. Tangos and bulerías which floated around the stage of the theater.

Baile and guitar

Pansequito (Photo Festival Mistela - J. A. Belver)

Next day. Baile and guitar. Fuensanta la Moneta and Niño de Pura. A gallant guitarist with technique. Por taranta, alegrías, soleá apolá, guajira, bulerías and fandangos. A real fantasy embellished by the cante of Rafael de Utrera. A prologue to the temperamental, fresh, expressive baile of Fuensanta la Moneta. She came out and kicked things off por alegrías with a bata de cola included. With a not-at-all trite performance. More settled down and predisposed. Stripped of all tricks. And opening up with every movement. Just like José Valencia’s voice, intense por malagueñas overlapped with abandolaos which were sealed with the baile by the young Granada-born artist, before settling the seguiriya. There, she puts all her dancing potential to the test.

Friday night. An evening with two classics. Aurora Vargas and Pansequito. As traditional a bill as any because “Cai isn’t called Cai, but a shrine”. Cante por alegrías by the artist from Puerto de Santa María. He with the silvery hair, like his art. Drawing applause in the final stages of Cádiz feeling. Because when he performs … the audience decides. Por soleá. Self-searching in all the lyrics. Without drawing it out too much. Investigating the nooks and crannies of the mine in the taranto, to display in the cartagenera. He finished off with bulerías and fandangos. The road has been paved for his colleague. Aurora Vargas began the same way. But the cantaora performs and re-performs. Even if it’s the same style. Her range isn’t so extensive. That’s why she takes shelter in a repetitive repertoire. But it doesn’t matter, because seeing her on stage is an authentic luxury for enthusiasts. It doesn’t matter that she also carries on por soleá. She gives it her shape, her trademark and her wit. She shifts to tientos woven with tangos. With strength and impudence. The Triana-born cantaora knows what she’s doing. Race and rage. She ended por bulerías.

Rocío Molina, Venencia 2006

Rocío Molina (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Grand finale. And end of the festival. Saturday, October 28th was a night of tribute to and recognition of a short but intense career; that of Málaga-born bailaora Rocío Molina. She bequeathed those present with ‘El eterno retorno’, a show where everything revolves around the philosophical premises of Friedrich Nietszche. “Eternally rolls the wheel of being”. Drama by Antonio Álamo in a hackneyed show with more than enough experience but with a new face; that of Jerez-born singer María José Santiago, who takes over for Pasión Vega. A little over an hour of soleá, abandolaos, malagueñas, alegrías and seguiriya. And of course, with a little room for the copla. A real collage for the infinity of gestures and expressions in the baile of the artist from Málaga. With genuine, generous finishes. Just like her feet, energetic and terse. Dense quality. For this and many more reasons, Rocío Molina received the 2006 Venencia Flamenca. An award the Festival gives to young artists with a promising future. La Mistela carries on savoring flamencura.

magazine@flamenco-world.com