Manuela Carpio will open the 30th Festival de Jerez with the premiere of Raíces del alma at the Teatro Villamarta, a performance showcasing the essence of her dance. The festival’s opening weekend also features another premiere, Solo de guitarra by Santiago Lara (Saturday, February 21st at the Museos de la Atalaya), and the Spanish debut of Natural by Farru (Sunday, February 22nd at Sala Compañía). Nino de los Reyes (Vuelta al sol, Saturday, February 21st at C.S. Blas Infante) will also perform at the Teatro Villamarta, alongside Nuevo Ballet Flamenco with Fronteras en el aire (Saturday, February 21st) and Olga Pericet with La materia (Sunday, February 22nd). The program also includes a performance by Arcángel (Abecedario flamenco on Sunday, February 22nd, Museos de la Atalaya).
Manuela Carpio has stated that “each one of us comes from a root.” The dancer has taken into account the distinct ways flamenco manifests in the different members of her artistic team. In Raíces del alma, she will showcase her Gitano aesthetic “because I don’t recognize how to dance any other way.” She assured that the show will begin at a more measured pace before “picking up atmosphere.” Manuela Carpio will be accompanied by the dancing of Saray García, Rocío Marín and Susana Casas, and will feature guest artists including Tomasa La Macanita, José Valencia, Barullo, El Tolo, Angelita Montoya and Anabel Valencia. The soundtrack features guitar by José Gálvez and Juan Requena, as well as vocals from Enrique El Extremeño, Miguel Lavi and Manuel de Tañé, and percussion by Torombo and José Manuel Ramos “Oruco”.
A Return to Childhood
Saturday’s events will begin with Nino de los Reyes at Sala Compañía with Vuelta al sol. “It’s a return to my childhood, to what made me fall in love with this art,” the dancer explained. Vuelta al sol represents an important change in his artistic trajectory. He intends to present “pure flamenco from the perspective of my generation.” Nino Reyes has surrounded himself with a trusted artistic team and will be joined on stage at Sala Compañía by vocals from Antonio Luque “Canito”, guitar by Kilino Jiménez and percussion by Lucky Losada.
At the Teatro Villamarta, Nuevo Ballet Español by Ángel Rojas will present Fronteras en el aire, the second part of their trilogy Geografía flamenca del pensamiento, which addresses the phenomenon of migration from Africa to Europe. The company’s twelve dancers embody the stories of different migrants, set to the flamenco music of José Ruiz “Bandolero” and Joni Jiménez, and the vocals of Alana Sinkëy, originally from Guinea Bassau, with a score that blends the two cultures, African and flamenco.
Solo de Guitarra
Jerez guitarist Santiago Lara will close out the festival’s artistic offerings on Saturday with Solo de guitarra, the second premiere of the festival, at the Museos de la Atalaya. He’s approaching the project now that he feels “a certain maturity” from an artistic standpoint. “The concert guitar is very difficult and requires constant learning.” His repertoire will include pieces already known from some of his discographic works, as well as new ones in the rhythm of seguiriyas or tarantas. Santiago Lara confessed that being part of the 30th edition of the Festival is “very special” for him, recalling that almost all of his works have premiered at the event, with his first appearance dating back to 2001, when he was just 17 years classic.
“I’ve been preparing for this show for 30 years and the musicians for 40,” said Farru. The statement was somewhat surprising, as few would think that devising a new show could take so long. However, the artist clarified the explanation: “since I’ve been conscious, I’ve been preparing to be as natural as possible.” Farru will present Natural for the first time in Spain – on Sunday, February 22nd at Sala Compañía – and that essence of freedom from artifice goes so far as not having rehearsed with the artists who will accompany him. Farru will be joined on stage by guitar from José Gálvez, vocals from Ezequiel Montoya and percussion from Lolo, as well as Rafael de Utrera as a guest artist.
Pericet’s ‘The Matter’
La materia is the second chapter of the trilogy dedicated by Olga Pericet to the guitars of the luthier from Almería, Antonio de Torres, and represents a turn towards the shadows in relation to La Leona. While in that first installment the dancer looked at the instrument from the outside, in this one she delves into its entrails: the wood, the smell, the sound and, above all, the silence. Accompanied by dancer and contemporary dance choreographer Daniel Abreu, the dancer and choreographer displays her talent in an original and transgressive show that offers her personal vision of the instrument.
The vocals of Arcángel will follow the dance. The singer from Huelva will showcase his Abecedario flamenco at the Museos de la Atalaya, where he has opted to seek new nuances in his artistic proposal by singing and paying tribute to the icons of flamenco music (from its origins to the present day) through the great classics of the genre. He will be accompanied by guitar from Francis Gómez and Benito Bernal, percussion from Lito and backing vocals and handclaps from Los Mellis.
