Flamenco New York Festival It closed its 25th edition on Sunday, March 15th. A very special anniversary that brought together 25.500 spectators in the 40 scheduled performances in the cities of New York, Miami, Tampa, Chicago and Boston. With a average occupancy of 86 percent and 60 percent of shows sold outThis edition, conceived as a tribute to the love story between the city of skyscrapers and the flamenco, has once again highlighted the iThe intensity of that artistic and emotional bond, renewed with each generation, keeps the flame alive among the city's audience. The warm reception confirms, once again, that Flamenco The festival is an essential cultural event in the country, highlighting its role in promoting Spanish culture and art. flamenco and consolidating its prominent place within the cultural scene of New York and the country's major cities.
The festival director, Miguel Marin, he highlighted that “it has been an edition that has Fully meeting the expectations of the New York public, a very well-rounded edition in which, in a way, a circle has been closed.” In this sense, he emphasized “the confluence of all the elements –the artistic proposal, the selection of the spaces…–, which has allowed us to celebrate this love story between New York and the flamenco as it truly deserves.”
Marín also emphasized “the connections that have been made between the participating artists and the pioneers of flamenco in the city,” the result of a research process that has allowed “discover to what extent the flamenco It has taken root in New York for over a centuryFor the director, “it has been one of the most exciting editions, marked by the generosity of the artists in the tributes to those who paved the way, leaving behind moments that will remain in our memory.”
In this regard, Marín wanted to express his “most Deepest gratitude to all the artistswho have shown immense affection for the festival and a dedication that has gone beyond the professional. They have been accomplices in something much bigger: in flooding New York with this love for the flamencoThey all shared the same idea: that it was love—for the flamenco"Because of our culture and the values we believe in—the one who pulled the strings of the festival and the experience we have lived in the city."
She also wanted to highlight the public's response: “It has been extraordinary, with very diverse audiences who have shared unique experiences in spaces like Joe's Pub, the Met, and the Guggenheim.” In Marín's words, “that The union between artists, memory, and a devoted audience has resulted in unforgettable nights., in which the city, the spaces and the flamenco They have come together to create something truly special.”
La 25 edition of Flamenco The New York Festival, which has featured Seville as a guest city, opened its doors on February 25th with a sold-out first event: the CUNY Graduate Center hosted the meeting entitled 'Electric Bohemian: Flamenco and the Arts in Greenwich Village (1950s–1970s)'A talk that explored the historical and artistic links of flamenco in intercultural contexts in which the specialist took part in flamenco K. Meira Goldberg and the cultural historian Elijah Wald.
«Flamenco The New York Festival closed its 25th edition on Sunday, March 15. A very special anniversary that brought together 25.500 spectators in the forty performances programmed in the cities of New York, Miami, Tampa, Chicago and Boston, with an average occupancy of 86 percent and 60 percent of performances sold out.
The other two scheduled conferences also sold out, demonstrating that the American public continues to be passionate about the flamenco not only as a spectacle, but also as an object of study and academic reflection. This was the case in the lecture-concert 'La Argentinita in New York, New York in La Argentinita', in the Public Library of the city, which featured the participation of the writer, professor and doctor of Spanish Literature José Javier León, and two of the artists participating in this edition: Rocío Márquez and Irene Morales; and in the activity held at the Cervantes Institute of New York: 'Mario Escudero and New York, in which Álvaro Martinete, which premiered in Flamenco The New York Festival featured a performance of some of guitarist Mario Escudero's most representative works, accompanied by a brief talk about his life and his years in the city. Mario Escudero, son of the artist.
One more year, the passion for the flamenco It also resonated with younger audiences. The performance for schoolchildren at the Flamenco Gala attended 2.000 children between the ages of 8 and 14, offering them their first introduction to art flamenco and sparking the curiosity and enthusiasm of new generations thanks to this program through which they have passed already more than 27.000 students in the history of the festival and whose objective is to introduce students to the history and culture of flamenco and expose them to its richness through matinees and school programs consisting of workshops and residencies.
With three other performances also held at the New York City Center, the Flamenco Gala received praise from The New York Timeswho highlighted the combination of virtuosity and musicality of the artists. About Juan Thomas de la Molia He noted that she dances “with an almost youthful charm… with free ease and improvisation, and a constant sense of surprise,” while of The Farru It highlighted that “she carries her heritage with pride and naturalness, and attacks with the ferocity characteristic of her lineage.” The review also focused on Manuel Linan, who “moves her hips and tilts her shoulders like a flamenco aunt who proves she still has all her power,” and praised Eva Yerbabuenawhich “begins slowly, like a tree bent by the wind, only to become its own spiraling storm.” Finally, Mara Rey She was described as “a flamenco singer who pours her heart out, but also an actress who embodies emotion.” Overall, the review reflected how the Gala brought together distinct styles and personalities, creating unique moments of virtuosity and emotion for the New York audience.
Unforgettable moments in iconic locations in the Big Apple
In addition to the Public Library, on her tour of New York City, Flamenco The festival has unfolded its program across venues that have been part of its history and that have returned in grand style. This is the case of the Baryshnikov Arts, where they were held Two sold-out performances of 'Flamenco Party'A format that has recaptured the essence of the old café cantante. The flamenco dancers Manuel Liñán, Juan Tomás de la Molía and Alberto Sellés, the singers Mara Rey and Juan de la María, and the guitarist Jose Fermin Fernandez They offered memorable performances, which also featured the presence of Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Regarding these two functions, Miguel Marín has emphasized that “These have undoubtedly been some of the most magical moments of this editionThe origin of this proposal stems from the desire of Mikhail Baryshnikov himself, “one of the greatest figures in dance of all time and a regular at the festival, who expressed his interest in experiencing the flamenco from a closer perspective, in their own space.”
"What happened there was absolutely unique –Marín pointed out–, both because of the format devised by Manuel Liñán and because of the dedication of all the artists in an incomparable setting, with the city of New York as a backdrop,” highlighting some of the most memorable moments: “the virtuosity of Juan Tomás de la Molía, who captivated with his footwork; the strength and truth of Mara Rey’s voice; the magical guitar solo of José Fermín Fernández, with the lights of the skyscrapers as a backdrop; or the versatility of Alberto Sellés, one of the great revelations of this edition.
The director also wanted to emphasize the exceptional nature of these functions: “It was an experience for a very small and select audience, in which they came together Prominent figures in New York culture, from Isabella Rossellini and Jessica Lange to artistic directors and choreographers like Mark MorrisAnd he concluded: “That atmosphere of closeness and dedication gave rise to unrepeatable moments that transcend the artistic, such as Seeing Mikhail Baryshnikov excitedly going up on stage to dance with Manuel Liñán at the Flamenco Festival, in a gesture of admiration and connection that sums up the spirit of the festival and an image that will remain forever in its history and in the memory of those present.”
A full house was also held for one of the most innovative events of this edition, the one that took place in the second of these spaces, the museum. Guggenheim: 'YARIN', the intercultural encounter between Jon Maya, dantzari or traditional Basque dancer, and the bailaor flamenco Andrés Marín, who explored on stage both their differences and their points of convergence, starting from their own roots and essences.
And also within the museum field, for the first time, the Metropolitan Museum of Art It joined the list of venues at the Festival with a unique proposal that served to bring this edition to a close with another full house: From Carmencita to Pericet, the meeting that the flamenco dancer had Olga Pericet and the iconic portrait of flamenco dancer Carmencita by John Singer Sargent. Co-organized with the Instituto CervantesThe performance also featured the participation of guitarists Gerardo Núñez and Álvaro Martinete.
Likewise, At Joe's Pub at The Public Theatre, an iconic venue of the festival, several performances sold out.In this space, ideal for those seeking the excitement of a more direct and intimate encounter with the artists, they have made their New York debut in this edition the people of Granada José Fermín Fernández (guitarist) and Irene Morales (dancer)Also there, with tickets sold out, was to be 'Pido permiso' by the flamenco dancer Raquel Heredia 'La Repompa' who, due to family reasons, was replaced by the also debuting Juan Tomás de la Molía; as well as the last of the performances it hosted in this edition: 'Bond', of the flamenco dancer and singer based in New York Sonia Olla and Ismael Fernández.
In the dance section, the New York City CenterThe temple dedicated to this discipline in the city filled its auditorium for the last of the performances of Vuela Fundación, by Sara BarasThe show, in which the Cádiz native commemorates the 25th anniversary of her company, also pays tribute to the legendary guitarist Paco de Lucía, who found in New York a space of artistic freedom and dialogue that influenced his music and helped to project the flamenco on the global stage.
"The passion for the flamenco It also resonated with younger audiences. The Flamenco Gala's performance for schoolchildren was attended by 2.000 children aged between 8 and 14, offering them their first introduction to the art form. flamenco and sparking the curiosity and enthusiasm of new generations thanks to this program, which has already been attended by more than 27.000 students in the festival's history."
Seville, guest city at the 25th anniversary
With Seville as the guest city of this edition, the Sevillian delegation, headed by the city's mayor, was present at this event. Jose Luis Sanz, the City Council's Delegate for Tourism and Culture, Angie Moreno, and the director of the Biennial of Flamenco, Luis Ybarrawho also attended the show 'Transit', from the Sevillian flamenco singer Rosario La Tremendita who, along with the guitarist Dani de Moron, undressed the flamenco down to its purest essence at Joe's Pub.
On that same day, at the New York City Center and within the framework of the festival, the Seville delegation, together with Sara Baras, presented the program for the 24th edition of the Biennial of Flamenco Seville, of which the artist will be a part, as a new stop on the tour of her international promotion itinerary after her time in Paris.
It also sold out. 'Tribute to Lola Flores', held in the Bronx Music Hall. This unique event where jazz and flamenco It was a vibrant tribute to 'La Faraona' in which the Grammy-nominated drummer, composer and director took part. Bobby Sanabria, leader of Ascensión Band, who was accompanied on stage by Mara Rey, who has debuted as a soloist in New York, and by the young voice of Jennifer Jade.
In short, as Marín points out, this edition has been “a true celebration of the love story between the artists, the city, and the public”, which has led to “unique and unrepeatable momentsHe also highlighted the debuts of several artists who had never participated in the festival before, including Jose Fermin Fernandez, whose guitar surprised everyone with its “Delicacy, virtuosity, and a highly personal touch", Y Angeles Toledano, who won over the audience with his performance of 'La aurora de Nueva York', a poem by Lorca set to music by Enrique Morente. Has highlighted also the “Warm welcome to Mara Rey at Bronx Music Hall"and the approach of Rocío Márquez to the figure of La Argentinita in the Public Library, in a deconstructionsubtle, intelligent and brilliant…For Marín, all these moments have demonstrated how the festival continues to generate exceptional encounters, where artists, city and public create experiences that remain in memory.
Thus, he noted, “I also feel a deep pride upon seeing the power of flamenco; upon verifying the level of genius, depth, magic, and artistic truth that the artists have achieved in New York. The greatest gift is sitting in the audience and feeling moved, feeling proud of your art, and of being part of their history, just as they are now part of the history of the festival and of New York.” “The privilege of having accompanied so many artists on their journey in New York, of having witnessed historic nights and deeply emotional moments, is, without a doubt, the greatest gift I personally take away from this edition,” he concluded. ♦
