Flamenco Fever This Fall in Seville, Spain

edited by Nan Frient

The region of Andalusia, Spain is the birthplace of flamenco and Seville has some of the area’s most celebrated performers, so it makes sense that this city in southern Spain hosts one of the art form's most important events – the Bienal de Flamenco, scheduled for September 10 to October 11.

This year the 15th edition of the Biennial of Flamenco, "Las músicas del flamenco," will be a tribute to flamenco music in all its variations with 54 shows and 25 premieres. With a total of 66 performances in 32 days, the festival will be structured around eight thematic series showcasing shows of baile (dance), cante (song) and toque (guitar) on five stages. Following recent renovations, Seville's newly-expanded grand opera house, the Maestranza Theater, will be reclaimed as the Biennial's main stage. Other venues include: the Neo-baroque Lope de Vega Theater dating from 1929, the Hotel Triana, Alameda Theatre and the Rocío Jurado Auditorium.

The Biennial kicks off on September 10 with an open-air gala dedicated to the composer and guitarist Manolo Sanlúcar. Throughout the month-long festival, other flamenco dancers will perform including: Sara Baras, José Mercé, Carmen Linares, Estrella Morente, Cañizares, Arcángel and Isabel Bayón.

Manolo Sanlúcar's concert will inaugurate the "Movements" series. Next, "The Future of Jondo," or "deep song" will include notable shows like: "Women" with Merche Esmeralda, Belén Maya and Rocío Molina; "Roots and Wings," a tribute to the Spanish poet Juan Ramón Jiménez, by Carmen Linares and Juan Carlos Romero, and a concert by flamenco cantaor (singer) José Mercé, among others. A generation of recognized artists is highlighted in "21st Century Classics" – with the world premiere of "En el Bar Iberia," featuring singer Segundo Falcón and guitarist Paco Jarana, and several great names in baile including a performance of "Carmen" by the Sara Baras Flamenco Ballet, "Self-Portrait" by María Pagés and "Tórtola Valencia," a premiere by Isabel Bayon.

"Variations" sets the focus on innovative shows, premiering "Paso para dos" with Rosario Toledo and Ana Salazar and the Andrés Marín Company's "El cielo de tu boca" with musician Llorenç Barber as guest artist. The Israel Galván Company, winner of the prestigious National Dance award in 2005, will perform "El Final de esta estado de cosas. Redux" and the Rafaela Carrasco Company will premiere "Vamos al tiroteo." The instrumentals for many shows will be performed by groups such as Son de la Frontera and the Diego Amador Quartet.

The series entitled "Flamingos and other birds" fuses traditional flamenco music with everything from symphonic to fado and rock music. Seville's Royal Symphony Orchestra and Spain's National Choir conducted by Pedro Halffter will perform Manuel de Falla's work "La Vida Breve" with singer José Mercé and dancers Lola Greco and Fran Velasco. Spain's National Ballet will perform "Café Chinitas," and Esperanza Fernandez accompanied by Seville's Royal Symphony Orchestra will present "El amor brujo." Estrella Morente and fado singer Dulce Pontes will perform in "Dulce Estrella." The series will end with a night devoted to Andalusian rock, featuring groups like Cai, Pata Negra and Alameda.

The Teatro Alameda will host a number of new shows including one by "Ultra High Flamenco (UHF)," a gala with young talents, and several children's shows. The Hotel Triana's stage will have concerts by La Macanita with María del Mar Moreno along with "Orígenes" by Juan de Juan and "the 50th anniversary of the Orquesta Chekara de Tetuán." The Biennial concludes with a closing gala on October 11 at the Theatre Maestranza.

In addition to flamenco performances, there is much to see in Seville. The city boasts the largest Gothic cathedral in the world built on the site of a 12th century mosque. Now, the famed Giralda tower is all that remains of that Moorish structure built by the Almohads. Craftsman from throughout Spain created the sumptuous Mudéjar-style royal residence, the Reales Alcázares. A jewel box of patios, gardens, fountains, its gilded rooms are filled with stucco work glazed azulejos and elaborately carved doors.