PEÑA FLAMENCA NYC

Musicians of Flamenco

THIS THURSDAY, April 14 • 7pm

4W43 (Room 616)

Just released: A limited number of general admission tickets for this Thursday’s Musicians of Flamenco featuring singer Ismael Fernández and guitarist Guillermo Guillén! Don’t miss your chance to hear this “most charismatic performer” and “connection to the Gypsy source” sing. (Washington Post)

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UPCOMING CLASSES IN NYC

María Moreno & Mercedes Ruíz Workshops

April 24–26

Flamenco Vivo Studios

Join us in the studios for some star-studded Flamenco Festival workshops featuring the incredible María Moreno and Mercedes Ruíz! Mercedés is offering Intermediate/Advanced Tientos and María is teaching Advanced Beginner Cantiñas and Intermediate/Advanced Romance.

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A post shared by Miguel Poveda (@miguelpoveda)

FLAMENCO FESTIVAL’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY

Miguel Poveda’s Heartfelt Homage to NYC

After two long years of delay due to the pandemic, April 6th marked a triumphant return of Flamenco Festival’s presence in the US! Its 20th Anniversary was inaugurated in NYC by none other than singer Miguel Poveda, who closed the concert with a heartfelt homage to the city via his flamenco-ized version of Frank Sinatra’s iconic “New York, New York.” He sung it fully in Spanish, with his own unique lyrics, melismas (vocal runs used in flamenco), compás (flamenco rhythms) set by palmas, and all. Projected behind him were stunning clips of the city taken by his team in the days leading up to the performance.

The singer’s expression of love for NYC was hardly limited to the finale. Poveda shared how he especially admires the city for the magnitude of its diversity, made up of such a vast array of cultures and identities. Poveda’s most recent album, titled Diverso (2021), takes on exactly that topic, one that is slowly being breached more and more in the world of flamenco.

In the spirit of the city’s diversity (as emphasized by Poveda), the singer dedicated a song during his concert to fighting for a world in which people may love who they choose to love. Poveda himself is openly gay, a challenge in and of itself in an art form he has described as historically conservative and machista.

Poveda also shared how one of his greatest artistic inspirations, Federico Garcia Lorca (fellow Spaniard and avid supporter of flamenco) was similarly deeply moved by NYC and incorporated it into his work (Lorca lived here for a year, out of which came one of his most acclaimed works “Poet in New York.”)

While Poveda has visited NYC a number of times, this marked his first solo concert in the city, and he celebrated with a permanent tattoo of the famed skyline. It seems that NYC is sticking with Poveda, so surely this won’t be the last we see of him. And to top it off, this year’s Flamenco Festival has only just begun! Enhorabuena!

FUN FACT

HAPPY PASSOVER

חַג שָׂמֵחַ

Guess which song by flamenco singing sensation Estrella Morente is actually a traditional Sephardic Passover song?

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ANSWER:

Passover is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. On Passover eve, Jewish people throughout the world gather around the dinner table for Seder, a ritual feast to retell the story of Passover. Friends and families share blessings over food and wine, explain the symbols of Passover, have discussions on freedom and social justice, and enjoy plenty of eating and singing.

One of these popular songs in Spain is “Had Gadya.” This Seder favorite is an example of a cumulative song, one in which each verse adds another motif to the story. Listen to flamenco singing sensation Estrella Morente’s beautiful interpretation of this song in “Tangos del Chavico” above!