XV BIENAL DE FLAMENCO DE SEVILLA. 'A Fuego lento' Andrés Peña & Pilar Ogalla

XV BIENAL DE FLAMENCO DE SEVILLA

“A Fuego Lento”
con Andrés Peña y Pilar Ogalla
Program (PDF)
16th SEPTEMBER- Teatro Alameda – 11 PM

SPECIAL BIENAL DE FLAMENCO DE SEVILLA 2008

Text: Estela Zatania
Photos: © Archivo Bienal de Flamenco, Luis Castilla

Dance and artistic directors: Pilar Ogalla, Andrés Peña. Cante: David Palomar, Inmaculada Rivero, David Lagos. Guitar: Ricardo Rivera, Javier Patino. Palmas: Javier Catumba.

Defending such basic concepts as guitar, cante and partnered flamenco dance, without no surprises, and no desire to be avant-garde, with the utmost dignity and commitment, Andrés Peña and Pilar Ogalla have chosen a flamenco route spurned by many of their peers.

Their age and generation situate them in a different perspective, but they prefer to work out their natural urge to quest in perfecting what they already know well.  “A Fuego Lento” is not a “daring” work (hallelujah!), an adjective which has come to be a euphemism for doing whatever the individual thinks might open the doors to fame and fortune.

We saw this show in France in July, with a slightly altered cast of musicians, but the same traditional repertoire, and the same professional dedication.  The dancers open with tangos, and the excellent assortment of voices brings freshness to old cantes.  David Palomar, the popular new star from Cádiz, and the very much in demand David Lagos, contrast perfectly with the racial voice of Inmaculada Rivero.  Javier Patino and Ricardo Rivero on guitar round out the small but efficient, intense group.

Pilar is a tight little bundle of flamenconess with white bata de cola and red shawl, the upright flower, hair combs and long earrings for an alegrías with all its traditional sectons, the only flaw being an excessively predictable choreography.  Andres’ farruca tends to the Gades school, then he leaves the stage but returns almost immediately to dance once again, a long series of percussive combinations with feet and cane, without musical accompaniment: difficult to execute but of limited interest.  Pilar returns, this time to dance a taranto, and again, it’s a polished well-rehearsed dance, but thoroughly predictable.

And finally, Andres’ soleá por bulería, elegantly flamenco, with all the intensity of the Farruco style, and a complete catalogue of original moves that add the spark of genius that had been missing.