Festival Flamenco Caja Madrid 2011 – Miguel Poveda

Text: Sonia M. Pariente
Photos: Rafael Manjavacas

GENEROUS WITH HIS ART

Generous in pleasing the crowd, in granting their requests and attending their complaints, and thanking his maestros, and tremendously generous with his singing.  That’s what Miguel Poveda displayed last night during two hours of a show which delighted the audience and filled the Circo Price with a rich and varied repertoire

The singer opened the nineteenth edition of the Caja de Madrid festival dedicated to the memory of Enrique Morente. “It’s hard for me to talk about him in the past, because he’s always been in the future” said the maestro who paid tribute with a fandango whose verse he wrote himself, and a version of “La Aurora de Nueva York” to bulerías.  It was a moment for strong emotions, with singing that was full of feeling.

There was also a tribute to other maestros like Mairena and Marchena with soleá apolá charged with a wide variety of registers, demonstrating his deep knowledge of cante.  Singing which goes from the most intense to the sweetest of tones with great precision.

Poveda began the recital with tonás amidst the protests of a certain portion of the audience seated along the side and who could not see, causing the singer to move his chair forward.  At every moment you see a Miguel Poveda growing and maturing, even in the way he manages the audience’s comments and praise.  Alegrías, siguiriya, farruca, tientos…he stands up, dances a bit and has fun with the most festive styles, or triggering emotions with the more serious ones.  He even accepted audience requests when asked to do malagueña, leading to a humorous moment in which the singer began before guitarist Jesús Guerrero had started.  Once correctly focused, he sang with great depth.  The back-up group that came along, lead by his sidekick, guitarist Chicuelo, was also up to the task at every step.

And then there was his lyrical singing.  “Los Cuatro Capotes” of Antonio Gallardo as interpreted in the Carlos Saura film “Flamenco, Flamenco”, and “A Ciegas” which he had sung for “Los Abrazos Rotos” of Almodóvar who was present in the theater and to whom the song was dedicated.  Miguel Poveda also moves easily with this kind of repertoire, and his love for it brought great success with his last recording “Las Coplas del Querer” in which he gave a flamenco feeling to everything, impregnating old standbys with freshness and a variety of shading.  The audience demanded more, and there was an encore, the Pregón of the Uvero.  More than enough to enjoy a very generous Miguel Poveda.