Resumen: David Peña Dorantes: Convivencias. Con Orquesta Filarmónica de Andalucía, Jorge Pardo, Carles Benavent, Tino di Geraldo, Lebrijano, Alba Molina…
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CONVIVENCIAS
Teatro Coliseum (Gran Vía, 78) |
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Text: Pablo San Nicasio David Peña Dorantes, Jorge Pardo, Carles Benavent, Tino di Geraldo, El Lebrijano, Alba Molina, Pedro Mª Peña, Los Mellis, Tete Peña, Orquesta Filarmónica de Andalucía directed by Javier Yera. One big happy family This is really a country of contrasts. While just a few yards away from the Teatro Collisem this seaon’s musicals play out their tired formulas, living legends of Spanish music manage to make a place for themselves in just a few days on Madrid’s Gran Vía, in the middle of the great red carpet where romantic intrigues play up to the media. Madrid on a Thursday evening has a lot to offer, but it’s not all good. It’s a question of searching, although one doesn’t always feel like it.
In a large theater, it’s quite a sight to see more musicians on stage that people in the audience. And it was only the second day of “Convivencias”. Something is definitely wrong when this kind of offering is ignored. People just don’t go. Too little advertising, or seats that are too expensive for the current situation…but that’s not even an excuse when so many people are still going to tired-out musicals. We’re in trouble. It was two hours in which David and his group offered a tribute to flamenco, jazz, to the latest classic styles, and most especially, to those flamenco fans who enjoy dance. After the slim pickings of this last summer, we deserved something like this.
David starts out with guajiras, and via his piano delivers Falla, Albéniz and Bartók, quite a repertoire. David has brought along Pardo, Benavent and Tino di Geraldo, a first-class trio. Terrific arrangements. Pastora Galván is the duende of the show. A free spirit who also provides a touch of fantasy. Not everything is Peña in Convivencias. Pastora is thoroughly experimental with a string quartet, and later, with Dorantes, and eventually the whole group, always pleasantly surprising. Even Alba Molina is elevated to a new plateau among all this high-octane talent. You almost forget how beautiful she is when the beauty of her singing takes over, so flamenco, evoking her mother’s work, trying so hard… maybe this time.
And Juan Peña, uncle Juan, the one who started exploring before anyone else. That was more than thirty years ago. Lebrijano gets his own thing together and manages thunder and lightning in “En el Soto”. Meantime, his nephew reminds us that maybe he ought to be playing solo guitar. Not even diminished faculties can do in the man who was number one. Convivencias is a journey through the music of David Peña over the last ten years, from Orobroy and Sur. Music that sounds good to the uninitiated and is easily hummed by traditional flamenco fans. Tones which have become flamenco hymns and which, with the Andalusia Symphony in the background, were enough to rouse anyone’s interest. A very well-constructed show, well-conceived, that closes with fifteen minutes of “Caravana de los Zincalí”. If only those outside in the street in their daily “caravan” knew what they were missing… If they’ve never been in touch with good flamenco artists, it’s high time.
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