Let me begin with a confession: I don't believe in blue blood. And, with all due respect to Mr. Gregor MendelI have my reservations about genetics understood as an exact science. However, I can understand that few things are as human as believing in the transmission of talent or virtues through blood. We love to think that a prince inherits the best attributes of the king, that nobility (what a word!) passes naturally from the aristocrat to his children, like eye color or the shape of the nose. And in art, of course, the same thing happens, even though deep down we know that the seed of Picasso It doesn't have to produce painting geniuses, nor Maria Callas Opera divas. It doesn't matter: we believe in it, and that's enough.
The proposal that arrived this weekend at Maestranza de Sevilla, In such a way palo...It was based, in a way, on this faith or superstition. Six heirs of illustrious Flemish dynasties took to the stage with the pretext of demonstrating that art is part of the mysteries of DNA. The central figure was Dorants, the grandson of The Bitch, who opened the repertoire with a version of the Gypsy anthem, that gelem gelem beautifully performed on the microphone by Lela Soto, the latest link in the golden chain of the Deafness.
He followed Karime Amaya, great-niece of that hurricane on legs that was Carmen amayaOther times I have found her too rigid or showy, overly reliant on the power of her feet, but on Saturday I liked her and I think she liked herself too, because her face showed expressions of satisfaction in the soleá that we had not seen before.
A very pleasant surprise, too, with Jose from TomatoThe son of Tomatito, whose growth as a person and as a musician we have all witnessed, began by pouring out brushstrokes of homage (Lullaby of the Big Horse de Camarón, I thought it didn't exist. de Manzanita) to embroider a bulería touch accompanied by the percussion of Jonatan CortésKeep an eye on the guy from Almería, because he's reaching the age where he can start creating interesting things, and I bet he will.
“The blue blood of art doesn’t exist. I don’t believe in it. Nor in hereditary genius. I believe in the awareness of who we are and where we come from, in respect for our elders without subservience, (…) and in the duty to live up to those who have come before us, whether family or not. All the artists who have graced the Maestranza, with pedigree flamenco Or without him, they did it."
I confess my weakness for the next performer on the poster, Ismael de la Rosa, hitherto known by the artistic nickname of The ballWhen I hear fans complaining that young people today don't know anything, don't study, and show all sorts of other signs of mental laziness, I wonder if they haven't heard of El Bola. The flamenco singer from the dynasty of the Fernandez He possesses a blend of sensitivity and knowledge that prevents him from venturing into mediocrity. He is always, at the very least, excellent, whether performing soleá (here I would say he was immense) or accompanying Dorantes in the galleys patented by his uncle Lebrijano.
As was the case with Karime Amaya, I had my reservations about Farruquito, the other undisputed star of the show. The grandson of the great farruco She's at the top of her game flamencoBut—and I'm not the first to point this out—he has sometimes run the risk of resting on his laurels and seeking easy applause, because it's true that he has the gift of getting people out of their seats just by tapping his foot to a bulería or raising his hand. This time, however, he brought out his best, especially when he danced alegrías between the two singers, with that mastery of timing that only the chosen few possess.
Although it might have been better to place it at another point in the show, Lela Soto She showcased her vocal talents with a deeply moving seguiriya, confirming her status as one of the flamenco singers to watch right now, because her career has only just begun. The repertoire started with a hymn and ended with another, the popular Orobroy by Dorantes, although it was not understood that it should be repeated exactly as is in the encore.
In any case, it was a night to enjoy flamenco high-flying, and in the case of this writer, to reaffirm my belief that the blue blood of art doesn't exist. I don't believe in it. Nor in hereditary genius. I believe in the awareness of who we are and where we come from, in respect for our elders without subservience, in taking advantage of the closest role models to grow as human beings and as creators, in learning knowledge and methods firsthand, and in the duty to live up to those who have come before us, whether family or not. All the artists who paraded through the Maestranza, with pedigree flamenco Or without him, they did it.
Credits
In such a way palo...
Maestranza Theatre, Seville
November 8th 2025
Piano: Dorantes
Dance: Farruquito, Karime Amaya
Guitar: José del Tomate, Pedro Sierra
Cante: Lela Soto, Ezequiel Montoya, Ismael de la Rosa
Percussion: Jonatan Cortés
Battery: Maday
