Chicago Flamenco Festival 2017

  • Performing arts
  • Chicago
  • Fri, February 24 —
    Tue, March 28, 2017
Chicago Flamenco Festival 2017

Experience breathtaking performances by an array of international stars at the 15th Annual Chicago Flamenco Festival.

The 15th edition of the annual Chicago Flamenco Festival presents traditional and contemporary Flamenco music and dance over five weeks. The Festival’s line-up of more than nine flamenco groups spans the world of music and dance and features some of art’s brightest rising stars as well as established and critically acclaimed artists.

Flamenco brunches, symposiums, adults and kids dance, guitar workshops, family programs, and other events will be offered at the Instituto Cervantes during the festival.

The Andalusian Trail: The Roots of Flamenco

  • On Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 8 pm. At City Winery.
  • Presented by Las Guitarras de España and Intercultural Music Production.
  • Buy tickets ($25 general admission; $20 students and members of Instituto Cervantes).

From Rajasthan to the Middle East to North Africa and across the Mediterranean into Andalusia, musical ideas and instruments were exchanged and have contributed to the foundation of Flamenco music. Members of the ensemble Surabhi (founded by Saraswathi Ranganathan) present an evening of music featuring the shared cultural history of medieval Andalusia to the present. The performance includes original and traditional repertoire with Spanish guitar, Arabo-Andalusian poetry and music by Ronnie Malley on oud and harmonium, as well as Rajasthani folk dance by Kinnari Vora and flamenco and Mid-Eastern dance by Marisela Tapia. The evening also features Saraswathi Ranganathan (veena), Carlo Basile (guitar), Dhananjay Kunte (tabla), Diego Alonso (guitar), Greg Nergaard (bass), and Bob Garrett (percussion).

Anabel Veloso: Secreto a voces

  • On Friday, Feb. 24 at 7 pm. At Instituto Cervantes (auditorium). Buy tickets ($35 general admission; $30 students and members of Instituto Cervantes).
  • On Saturday, Feb. 25 at 7 pm. At Instituto Cervantes (auditorium). Buy tickets ($25 general admission; $20 students and members of Instituto Cervantes).

Annabel Veloso (Dancer), Cristian Luque Gómez (Singer) and Tino van der Man (Guitar) present the Opening Night of the 15th Annual Flamenco Festival, a showcase of flamenco dance, music and fashion, Spanish wines and Spanish-inspired hors d’oeuvres.

Flamenco Eñe. Alfonso Aroca: Orilla del mundo

  • On Friday, March 10 at 7 pm. At Instituto Cervantes (auditorium).
  • Buy tickets ($25 general admission; $20 students and members of Instituto Cervantes).

Alfonso Aroca (Cordoba, Spain) is the new reference for flamenco piano for his trajectory, versatility or curiosity, but also for his commitment with the tradition and his interpretive passion. Aroca is a pianist, composer and teacher with a triple musical formation in classical music, modern (jazz) and flamenco. He has dedicated more than ten years of his life to researching flamenco and piano, and has accompanied artists such as Daniel Casares, Martirio, Dulce Pontes, Silvia Pérez, Josemi Carmona and Raimundo Amador.

Flamenco Eñe. Josemi Carmona & Javier Colina: De cerca

  • On Tuesday, March 14th at 7 pm. At Instituto Cervantes (auditorium).
  • Buy tickets ($25 general admission; $20 students and members of Instituto Cervantes).

Josemi Carmona (Madrid, 1971) is one of the essential figures in the recent history of Spanish music, and in the words of Paco de Lucía, one of the guitarists that will define guitar playing in the 21st century. He belongs to Los Habichuela family, and is a precocious and intuitive virtuoso who brings great sensitivity to his melodies and a deeply harmonious approach to his compositions. He is an indispensable member of the group Ketama and composes and produces for artists such as Estrella Morente and Niña Pastori.

Javier Colina (Pamplona, 1960) is considered the most talented double bass player on the current flamenco scene. He initially taught himself to play the double bass after having studied piano, the accordion and the guitar. With his personal musical language he has played with established figures of jazz (Tete Montoliu, Chucho Valdés, and Jerry González) and flamenco musicians (Tomatito, Pepe Habichuela, Diego El Cigala, and Enrique Morente).

Alba Heredia: Puro Sacramente

  • On Friday, March 17 at 7 pm. At Instituto Cervantes (auditorium). Buy tickets ($25 general admission; $20 students and members of Instituto Cervantes).
  • On Saturday, March 18 at 7 pm. At Instituto Cervantes (auditorium). Buy tickets ($25 general admission; $20 students and members of Instituto Cervantes).

Alba Heredia belongs to the Maya family. A niece of the famous Maya artists Manolete, Mario Maya and Juan Maya Marote. She’s danced in La Rocío, the famous cave of her grandmother in Sacromonte. Trained by the great maestros in Granada and Sevilla, Alba made her debut when she was 11 years old in the most prestigious tablaos in Madrid, and she quickly set foot on the international stages. In 2015 she participated in the XXII Competition of Flamenco Dance El Desplante in La Unión (Murcia, Spain), the most prestigious award in the world of flamenco, and received first prize.

Isaac de los Reyes & Amparo Heredia

  • On Friday, March 24 at 7 pm. At Instituto Cervantes (auditorium). Buy tickets ($25 general admission; $20 students and members of Instituto Cervantes).
  • On Saturday, March 25 at 7 pm. Closing night. At Instituto Cervantes (auditorium). Buy tickets ($25 general admission; $20 students and members of Instituto Cervantes).

Isaac de los Reyes is the oldest son of the dancers and choreographers Ramón de los Reyes and Clara Ramona. He studied flamenco with his parents, with María Magdalena, Ciro, Cristobal Reyes and El Guito, among others. He made his professional debut at the age of 13 as a soloist in the Spanish Dance Theater of Luisillo and continued dancing in the Spanish Ballet of Clara Ramona.

Venue

Venue map

Various venues, Chicago

More information

Chicago Flamenco Festival 2017

Credits

Presented by Instituto Cervantes Chicago, in collaboration with Old Town School of Folk Music, the Flamenco Arts Center, and City Winery

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