Sadlers Wells, London
April 20, 2022
Solera is the art of blending old and new wines, the young topping up the vintage to create an ideal mix. Paco Peña takes inspiration from this tradition to create a performance of the greatest of the established flamencos with outstanding young performers. It created an evening of duende.
In hindsight, it seems obvious that as an art born of social isolation and suffering, flamenco would provide the experience that is so really needed after months and months of global troubles. Never has cante jondo resonated so deeply, never the delicacy of plucked strings or the elemental thud of percussion shook one to the core as did this. It was a cri de coeur for the world.
Paco Peña recreates a rehearsal, building up the flamenco forms in an organic way and culminating in a costumed performance in the second half. Solera would serve as a good introduction to traditional flamenco as well as a rich source of complexity for seasoned audiences: a blend of the parvenu and the mature.
Angel Muñoz plunges into a deeply moving solea which segues into a chico tanguillo. Inmmaculada Rivero and Iván Carpio produce a seguiriya, and Paco Peña and Dani de Móron play different versions of the farruca. The first half ends with a flourish of tangos.
The second half was distinguished by superb zapteado; clear, expressive and never flashy.
This was a smaller audience than could be expected for such a line up. Whether that is due to Brexit, Covid-19, the financial squeeze or all three is conjecture, but it also created a quieter, more reverential audience which is only to be celebrated. It was a real privilege to be there.