Fantasía Andaluza

The Fire and Passion of Flamenco and Classical: A Love Story and Songs of Andalucía

Fantasía Andaluza, composed and arranged by Jeremy García of Solero Flamenco, ignites the fire and passion of Flamenco and Classical in an exciting new view to iconic classics. Top Houston musicians, a flamenco singer, guitarist, and dancers bring to life re-imagined excerpts from Manuel de Falla’s “El Amor Brujo” (Love, the Sorcerer) and the newly composed “Suite Andaluz.” Enjoy the pairing of Flamenco and Chamber ensembles in the full splendor of the music of Spain!

García celebrates the flamenco influence in “El Amor Brujo” while maintaining the integrity of De Falla’s classical vision. He returns to the root of De Falla’s inspiration by incorporating guitar, compás (rhythm), and original interludes to the classical phrasing. His deliberate orchestration for a small ensemble parallels the intimacy of flamenco tablao (performance). Flamenco song, music, dance, and a classical chamber ensemble unveil the drama and passion of this version of the legendary story of bewitched love.

Flamenco singer (cantaora) Irma La Paloma, will be the voice of “Candela,” the main character in the storyline of “El Amor Brujo.” Her powerful voice unites organic flamenco vocals with the finesse of classical song. “I am honored and excited to sing selections of this music that much like the love story, haunts and impassions. I am equally thrilled to be the voice of a woman who finds her inner strength and takes charge of her destiny.”

“Suite Andaluz” features new music composed by García in re-imagined selections of antique popular songs recorded by Federico García Lorca and La Argentinita in 1931. Lyrics that exalt the beauty of Seville and life and love in Andalucía, accompanied by entrancing violin melodies and crisp castanets will transport audiences to the south of Spain.

García was awarded a Support for Artists and Creative Individuals Grant from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance. “This project grew out of an organic process in collaboration with Irma La Paloma. The exploration of this repertoire led to the development of an intrinsic relationship with the songs, the stories, the passion and the energy. The resulting work has been years in the making and represents our humble desire to share our vision of these timeless classics. It is a dream come true to present this work in the company of outstanding artists,” he stated.

The full cast of artists features some of Houston’s top professional musicians:

Irma La Paloma – Cante (Vocals) & Artistic Direction
Jeremy García – Guitar & Music Direction
Mann-Wen Lo – Violin
Cindy Ahn – Violin
Tonya Burton – Viola
Eunghee Cho – Cello
Andrea Benabent – Piano
Graham Tobin – Flute
Season Summers – Oboe
Andrés Felix – Cajón

Dance:

Solangel Lali Calix
Andrea González
Gabriela Estrada

Composed/Arranged by Jeremy García, Artistic Director, Irma La Paloma.

This program is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance.