Thursday, March 01, 2007

Isabel Bayon - Sadlers' Wells - review

Went to see my second, and last, show of the Flamenco Festival, which goes on until next Saturday. It was called "La puerta abierta", the open door, and starred dancer Isabel Bayon and catalan singer Miguel Poveda.

La puerta abierta opened at the Seville Bienal de Flamenco where it won the prize for Best show. For 1 hour and 15 minutes, Isabel Bayon stays on stage, getting changed between number in front of the audience, in a room at the back of the stage, with a door as the focal point. She starts moving to the sound of a recorded martinete (sung by a classic singer apparently) and the Goldberg Variations (think piano, think Bach) Daring, but it works. The singer Miguel Poveda and the band then come onstage, and we can hear a solea, a great milonga and some alegrias.

Poveda is a catalan singer, but you wouldnt know, I mean, he is just great and might as well be from Cadiz. Bayon dances lightly on her feet, I found her very refreshing and enchanting to look at, quite wonderful really.

A paso doble is then sung, and Poveda and Bayon start dancing together, holding each other, ballroom style. This great show then ends, too early really, with a great buleria.