Spain, Espana, the land loved for living and let live as well as for contributing at this very time Raul and other football greats descending upon Germany for another wondrous World Cup. Yet this night, the enriched land of pain, pleasure and passion etched in its people, their music so indelibly tied to a lifestyle admired worldwide, belongs to Maria Pages and her company who bring it and Flamenco here and now to far-removed neon-lit Tokyo. Shaped undoubtedly by Moorish influences and coupled by its own native ingredients, Flamenco's raw physicality, attitude, and lifestyle unmistakably intertwine, simmering together the stirring deep convergent passions within us all. And tonight, the global premiere of Pages' and Director Jose Maria Sanchez' 'Sevilla' by her esteemed company from the old country proudly profess their profound love of Seville to a rousing embrace.
A nocturnal love affair in intoxication on numerous levels, Sanchez and Pages instantly transfer you to the iconic church square and elsewhere throughout their beloved city, fluidly moving through 17-slide successions, beautifully bleeding and feeding it from all angles for our infectious intake. Assisted in perfection by Christian Olivares' stage design and her magnificently assembled musicians of Ana Ramon (singer), Ismael de la Rosa (singer), Jose Carillo "Fyty" (guitar), Jorge Fournadjiey (cello) and Enrique Terron (percussion), a sumptuous banquet duly unfurls, hypnotizing and mesmerizing as they collectively warm our bodies, minds and souls as would any late night feast imbibed in exceptional company. |
"Vals de la suite de jazz n. 2" opens the production as Maria leaves her troupe of bailoras (Maria Morales, Sonia Fernandez, Mar Jurado and Isabel Rodriguez), bailores (Jose Barrios, Emilio Herrara, Jose Antonio Jurado and Alberto Ruiz) alongside local complements (Keiko Inoue, Yoshie Tani, Akiko Niwa, Yoko Tamura, Kojun Notso, Shiro Ijuin, Nobuyoshi Nakane, Gentaro Ikegami) as they seamlessly blend into the Spanish square backdrop. With reverberating claps awash, "Buleria de la rosa" breaths beautifully to its clean finish. "Martinete y Debla" revels in its gypsy fluttering as they dance off each other to the frantic cello end. As playful shadows cast off her undulating, liberated black-clad body with her long shawl swirling around, Maria loses herself in perfect syncopation to the rhythm of "Fantaisie de concert sur (Carmen), l opera 25."
Mixing and matching as the resourceful 15 plus year artist that she is, Maria knows to strike a balance. Tossing her shawl aside, a high point is forged with her swift accompaniment of four hombres on percussion for a 3-part demanding, yet delicate rousing ensemble. In "Caracoles," Pages' Company instantly deliver a boisterous balmy evening enjoyed in a plaza of lights for an absolute revelry that continues joyously in the play reflective of the vibrancy of colors in "Mani" as all onstage exfoliate their troubles with mind, body and soul alive and wholly connected. A passion completed, yet importantly begging to continue. To life!
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report by michael and photos by Hironori Kawashima |
 mag files : Maria Pages Seville's Deep Nocturnal Vibrancy Illuminated in Global Premiere : (06/05/15 @ Shibuya Orchard Hall) : review by michael, photos by Hironori Kawashima |
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The official site Maria Pages www.mariapages.com |
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