Ensemble Español returns to the North Shore Center on June 7, 8 & 9 with Flamenco Passion celebrating their 48th anniversary season as part of the American Spanish Dance and Music Festival!
World premier works along with company favorites will be presented with an all star cast of Flamenco and Spanish classical artists to include: Flamenco superstar, La Lupi; Antonio Najarro, former artistic director of the National Ballet of Spain and choreographer of Disney’s current animated feature film, WISH; International Flamenco sensation, Yinka Esi Graves; Raquel Gómez, former principal of the National Ballet of Spain; and guest musicians: Curro de María & José Alconchel, Flamenco guitarists; José Díaz ‘El Cachito’, Flamenco singer; Diego ‘El Negro’ Alvarez, percussionist and José Moreno, Flamenco singer, percussionist, guitarist and dancer.
Audiences will experience the premiere company work titled “Viejos Aires / Flamenco Tango” from award-winning choreographer and former artistic director of the National Ballet of Spain, Antonio Najarro. This work, set to the music of composer, Astor Piazzolla, features a fusion of Spanish classical style and Argentinean Tango and displays the sensuality, passion and elegance of Buenos Aires. Najarro, originally set the full-length work on his own company in 2001 in Madrid. It has since garnered rave critical reviews and standing ovations in several countries. Other company premiere works include the Flamenco Guajiras, Cuban influenced dance ‘Compas de Seda’ by La Lupi to original music composition by Curro and the Escuela Bolera style work, ‘Puerta de Tierra’ by Raquel Gómez set to the music of Spanish composer, Isaac Albeniz. This work is inspired and dedicated to founder, Dame Libby Komaiko who first performed this style of dance in 1977 with the first Ensemble Español company set by Nana Lorca, former artistic director of the National Ballet of Spain. Audience favorite and critically acclaimed work will include Irma Suárez Ruiz’s passionate, Pasion Oculta set to the re-orchestrated music version Lux Aeterna / Requiem for a Tower, by the quartet group, Escala, with lighting design by award winning designer, Dustin Derry.