Last Saturday we went to the Angela Peralta theater for Romance de Tablao, a flamenco performance by Compañia Profesional Miura Expresión Flamenca, a Méxican dance company.
This was our first visit to the theater, and it almost wasn’t. Paul had gone into the ticket office and inquired about tickets a couple of days before, and was told that they were sold out. Lucky for us, our friends also inquired – the same morning – and were able to get tickets for all of us. We compared experiences, what was said, etc. and still can’t understand why Paul was told there were none. So, the lesson learned was ask twice! And don’t think you can go to the internet to buy tickets, the website doesn’t usually keep an up to date calendar of events. End of rant.
The theater is an absolutely lovely building. It was restored in the late 1980’s, and is really worth seeing. Our seats were in the center of the second balcony, and for $150 pesos were a great value.
The show started out with some excellent flamenco music – a guitar, flute, violin, and drums. Two singers, Omar Pérez and Ana Elena Morales, sang beautifully, and the program began.
For me, the first part of the program was special mainly for the music and singing. The dancing didn’t feel as emotional as what I had expected. Not much passion. The clapping seemed to mask the sound of the dancing and the sound was a bit muddy.
But the second half, starting with “La Conquista” I really began to understand the story they were telling, and the passion came through loud and clear. Their feet just flew! I tried to get a picture of the backdrop to some of the scenes – Picasso’s Guernica. No luck, though. The pictures above were taken with my camera set on “sports” with no flash. (Sometimes I really want a better camera.)
There was the disappointment of a man taking a woman away from another man, a rose thrown in a man’s face, a disappointed lover picking up a rose, and a dancing duel. It was wonderful.
Afterward we enjoyed a couple of beverages in the Plazuela Machado, and I can honestly report it was a wonderful evening.
Laurie Montgomery
February 4, 2009Nancy,
I found your site while googling flemenco/mazatlan to find something to show my co-worker about the show we went to. We saw this show on Sunday night. I agree with you – it was wonderful!
I had never seen flamenco performed live before. Don’t think I’ll have much opportunity to see it again, at least not in my city of Pittsburgh!
Did you happen to notice a Middle Eastern flavor to the singing? Spain was a Muslim country in the 12th Century! (my co-worker is a history buff and told me that) My companions and I also thought that the dancing was reminiscent of the type of dances you see in Indian festivals. Small world.
We sqeezed into Pablo y Lomas (is that the name of the popular cafe?) in Machado square after the show. The show in the theatre and the show in the street – two for the price of one – These were the highlights of our vacation!
lucero martinez
February 8, 2009HI! I am Lucero Martinez, the director of the flamenco company, I read all of this, and I apreciate all your comments, thank you very much!!
We learn everyday more things and we always try do our best!
(sorry, my english is not the best)
Thank you,
Lucero
Nancy
February 10, 2009Laurie, Sorry, I lost track that I hadn’t come back and thanked you for commenting on the Flamenco post. I didn’t notice the middle eastern flavor to the music, I’ll have to listen to some music I have and see if I can hear it. You ate at Pedro and Lola’s, a Mazatlan favorite named for it’s famous stars, Pedro Infante and Lola Beltran.
Lucero, Thank you so much for commenting. It was such a wonderful performance, and it is nice to be able to thank you for it! And your English is excellent, by the way!
Nancy
Omar Pérez
February 3, 2010Hello everyone! this is the very first time i get to read these comments, and i got to say, am flattered!! its an honor for us, to be a part of your vacations, and especially to be one of the highlights, as Laurie Said 😉
I am the male singer of the show, I hope we can meet each other, some other time!!
Best Wishes from Monterey!!