October 10, 2000 Summary Facts:
Highly acclaimed in Spain and around the world for its authenticity and virtuosity, the flamenco company Noche Flamenca makes its Santa Barbara debut in two performances on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 14 and 15 at 8 p.m. in UCSB Campbell Hall. The audience at Tuesday’s performance is invited to stay after the show for a Meet-the-Artists Discussion. In conjunction with this event, UCSB Arts & Lectures has arranged with The Faculty Club to offer a buffet supper of Spanish food before the performance. Audience members may enjoy dinner at 6 p.m. and then stroll across campus to Campbell Hall. Reservations and payment for dinner are required by November 7 and may be made directly with The Faculty Club by calling 893-3096. Founded in 1993 in Madrid by New York-born artistic director Martin Santangelo and his Spanish wife, star dancer Soledad Barrio, Noche Flamenca has presented an annual, sold-out season in New York City for the last six years. This summer’s performances on each coast elicited unrestrained raves from critics and an astounding turn out among the company’s loyal, appreciative audiences. The San Francisco Examiner calls the troupe “a sensational dance company capable of incinerating all objects in its path.” The New York Times hails Santangelo’s “remarkable balance between the new and the old in his savvy staging of the program.” Though Barrio is “always fiery, (this time) she seemed possessed by smoldering, do-or-die flamenco passion... (sharing) all the earthy urgency of the program’s impressive singing.” The usually reserved paper further gratefully remarked that “the coolness and somewhat distanced virtuosity of the other dancers (including Bruno Argento, whom The Times referred to as “the group’s shimmering lead pyrotechnician”) provide a welcome respite from Ms. Barrio’s scorching fire. An entire evening of her dancing would probably fill the city’s coronary wards.” Finally, the New York critic noted the “exuberant, impressive musicians,” both the singers and the instrumentalists, especially the percussionist, “whose opening number was a soul-stirring tour de force.” Noche Flamenca is also highly regarded for its balanced representation of the art forms involved in flamenco; they devote to each element—dance, song (cantes) and instrumentals—equal time in the spotlight and an equal number of artists (three each). The company proves that the music itself and its resonant vocals can manifest as many distinctive and exciting numbers as the different dances within flamenco. Among the dances are Barrio’s renowned soleas, solo dances that portray isolation and loneliness; alegrias, a lighter, lively, intricate dance with rich guitar accompaniment; the spectacular male dance farruca; and tangos. Since its inception, Noche Flamenca has developed into one of Spain’s most successful flamenco companies. It enjoys acclaim around the world, but has particularly avid and enthusiastic fans in Japan, Egypt and the United States. The company’s goal is to maintain the essence, purity and integrity of one of the most complicated art forms. To do this it relies on high standards among its artists, hard work and a profound understanding of flamenco. In performance, the company shuns gimmicks and has only received greater acclaim for its simplicity. Martin Santangelo was raised in New York and studied acting there. He moved to the Bay Area to join Luis Valdes’ El Teatro Campesino. One night, an actor scheduled to dance flamenco in a performance failed to show up and Santangelo filled in for him. “I realized that’s all I really wanted to do,” he says. Formerly a lead dancer with the company, he has stopped performing because of a back injury sustained in 1996 while he was performing in Julie Taymor’s Juan Darien at Lincoln Center. Presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures, the residency of Noche Flamenca is supported in part with funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, and the California Arts Council, a state agency. As part of their residency at UCSB, the artists will visit Music 17, the UCSB world music class, and conduct two master classes for dance majors. These events are part of UCSB Arts & Lectures’ ongoing commitment to arts education that involves extensive collaboration between Arts & Lectures and community and campus organizations. For tickets or more information, Editor: For photos, please call |