This year the season won't include the slot for Historic Figures of the 20th Century

Carmen Jiménez

Seville's Teatro Central plays host this year once again to 'Flamenco Viene del Sur', a little later than usual but well worth the wait, and featuring artists young and old. Among the outstanding youngsters there's the duo comprising Mayte Martín and Belén Maya, or the prizewinners from the 2002 'Festival de La Unión'. And Antonio Núñez, Chocolate, and La Paquera demonstrate the experience that comes with age as they respectively open and close the season.

	Remedios Amaya (Photo: Javier Hurtado)

Several months later than usual, the Andalusian Regional Government's Cultural Office is organizing another 'Flamenco Viene del Sur' season, to prove once again that 'Flamenco Comes from the South'. The venue, Seville's Teatro Central, will play host to key artists from the flamenco scene. For the 2002-2003 season, the event will see Antonio Núñez Montoya, Chocolate, setting the tone on the opening night, bolstered by the 2002 Grammy Latino he was awarded for 'Mis 70 años con el cante', voted best flamenco album. He's accompanied at the opening by Melchora Ortega from Jerez.

And with her characteristic vocal force, cantaora Remedios Amaya takes the baton from these two previous artists, to demonstrate once again to audiences the extent of the talent she's built up during her career. Former director of the Centro Andaluz de Flamenco, Calixto Sánchez, also makes an appearance on the bill on February 4th to present his latest projects which include 'Camino de la vida' (Road of life) and 'Retrato flamenco' (Flamenco portrait). On February 11th it's the turn of cantaora Mayte Martín and bailaora Belén Maya. The rapport the two have built up since their appearance at Barcelona's 1997 Festival d'Éstiu will be more than evident on stage.

The role of the guitar

Under the banner 'Tiempos de guitarra', guitarists will be afforded their own showcase, which comes in the form of three different visions supplied by three guitarists from Granada: Paco Cortés, Miguel Ochando and Miguel Ángel Cortés. The guitarists will be accompanied on stage by percussion, baile and cante.

The month of March will bring three star performances. The first, programmed for March 11th, will be provided by Chano Domínguez Sexteto, with their peculiar blend of jazz and flamenco. March 18th is reserved for bailaora Blanca del Rey from Córdoba; and the third performance of the month is by newcomer Pastora Galván who returns to Seville's stages after making her début at last year's Festival Bienal de Flamenco. And that same night sees a vocal performance by two more newcomers from Granada: cantaores Antonio Fernández and Fernando Rodríguez.

On April 1st Antonio Soto, Mari Ángeles Gabaldón and Manuel Cuevas - the three prizewinners from the 2002 'Festival de La Unión' - take the reins. On April 8th the stage is set aside for Alicia Márquez, a fresh face from the Compañía Andaluza de Danza, on this occasion flanked by two special guest artists: Fernando Romero and Ramón Martínez. And bailaor Javier Barón rounds off the month's performances with 'Dime' (Tell me), inspired by the work of poet Federico García Lorca, and which won Barón the 'Giraldillo' prize at the XII Festival Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla.

Diehard flamenco fans, though, will miss the presence this year of a space which last year was highly acclaimed by audiences and artists alike. This took the form of the program 'Personajes del Siglo XX', a slot given over to historic figures from the past century, which analyzed the careers of Antonio Chacón, Pastora Imperio, la Niña de los Peines and Manolo Caracol, among others.

Program for the 'Flamenco viene del Sur' season

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