WOMAD

Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Company

From Spain

Flamenco is one of the oldest of Europe’s musical styles, a mixture of Arabic and Gypsy cultures whose origins have often been disputed, although all parties agree that the style has been around for many centuries. It has enjoyed a resurgence in Spain over the past two decades, with artists reclaiming it from tourist kitsch under the banner of “nuevo flamenco”. And while it flourishes at street level, it is equally at home in the concert hall, particularly when played by Paco Peña.Paco Peña has been an international star since the late sixties. His guitar style is as warm as that of any younger player, but what has always marked him out is the immense control he displays in performance. While his solo playing was the highlight of his early career, from 1970 he harnessed it to performances with his own Flamenco Dance Company, which currently features three other guitarists, a singer and two dancers. Between them, this company of seven provides a rich demonstration of the full range of flamenco, its energy, passion and intensity. Peña’s ‘Misa Flamenca’ (‘Flamenco Mass’), first performed in 1991, remains his outstanding contribution, a commercially and artistically successful blend of flamenco within the structure of a classical mass.The Flamenco Dance Company includes the brothers Tito, Diego and Vaky Losada on guitars, each a fine soloist in his own right – together with Peña, their ensemble playing is dazzling. Singer Angel Gabbaré’s range is brilliantly matched by dancers Belen Fernandez and Rafael Martos. As a whole, the Company displays all the finest qualities of Peña’s playing – a unique balance of fiery emotion and discipline. Indeed, the title of Peña’s 1996 show, ‘Arte y Pasión’, is shorthand for what the company is all about.