XIII Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla. 'Tronío' Cía. Manuela Carrasco

Text : Estela Zatania

Dance: Manuela Carrasco, Rafael del Carmen, El Torombo, El
Bobote, Luis Peña, Javier Heredia. Cante: Antonio Zúñiga,
La Tobala, La Nitra, Samara Carrasco, El Barilla. Guitar: Joaquín
Amador, Pedro Sierra, Antón Jiménez, Juan José
Amador, Agustín de Morón. Percussion: José
Carrasco. Guest artists: Juana la Grande, El Extremeño, Arcángel.

The last night of the Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla before
the official closing gala was devoted to one of today’s biggest
stars of female dance: Manuela Carrasco. The adolescent girl who
thirty years ago was just a member of the regular cuadro at Los
Gallos, who added dark overtones to the classic Seville school and
triumphed at the last Bienal dancing siguiriyas to maestro Chocolate’s
singing, returned to repeat that success, and the Maestranza was
packed to the rafters.

The first ovation of the night came less than five minutes after
the curtain went up with a brief guitar solo by Pedro Sierra that
opened the show. After another less noteworthy solo by Antón
Jiménez, there she was. The presence and magnetism of a goddess,
that powerful and flamenco projection…it all made an impact
even before the lady made her first move to taranto sung by Enrique
el Extremeño. The outsized image of an Andalusian señorita
with guitar, painted in the Julio Romero style, served as backdrop
and seemed to be a declaration of respect for tradition.

Great dancers used to just dance, but we are living in the golden
age of theatrical “works” and not even Carrasco is immune.
Her show “Tronío” is little more than a pretext,
a setting for the dancer to come on stage and do what she always
does, move majestically through the rhythms of flamenco. The attempts
to set a scene are not total failures and there are even some entertaining
moments, but it looks amateurish. Dancer Torombo stands behind a
bar filling glasses for Enrique el Extremeño and Arcángel,
the dream team of singers who take turns singing fandangos…styles
of El Gloria, of el del la Calzá…pretending a spontaneity
that is clearly not authentic, with superficial chit-chat: “hey,
you ever hear this one?” At a table in the makeshift tavern
other members of the group start up with palmas and take turns doing
bulerías thus getting the messy business of the “fin
de fiesta” out of the way when the show has only just begun.

As happens with great stars, this woman
cannot dance a duet because anyone is diminished alongside her

Alegrías begins with Arcángel alone and unaccompanied
by guitar before Manuela makes her appearance dressed in white.
His sweet voice fascinates and seduces but then is so unsuited to
Carrasco’s temperamental dance that seeing them together on
stage approaches the comical. The three female singers, Samara Carrasco,
daughter of Manuela and Joaquín Amador, La Tobala and La
Nitra, seated at a table, sing tangos with an undignified overdose
of “nayno” choruses and cheesy harmony.

A seguiriya begins with the duo Rafael del Carmen and Manuela.
Carrasco wears a short gold-colored bata and in general whoever
was responsible for the choice of wardrobe gets low marks or may
not even pass: rarely have less appropriate and worse-fitting costumes
been seen. Nevertheless, once again the lady soaks up all the attention
– as happens with great stars, this woman cannot dance a duet
because anyone is diminished alongside her. She soon takes her leave
and Rafael is left to dance in his usual hyped-up style that communicates
little.

A lovely singing solo by Arcángel, malagueña with
rhythmic ending, is followed by soleá to the rhythm of soleá
por bulería. Here we’re treated to the image of Juana
la del Pipa, “Juana la Grande” as she is called on the
program, singing to Manuela and in this case the equilibrium is
perfect. El Extremeño and Arcángel join the group
and finally we are immersed in Carrasco’s trademark soleá
which has evolved over the years to become synonymous with the dancer.
The number reaches its climax and at that precise moment all the
rest is justified.