Antonio Gades

[James]

I've stumbled on these two releases but have no idea what to think of them, I mean is it of interest to the classical or neo-classical ballet lover ?

http://www.amazon.co...duct/B006CAXOAK

http://www.amazon.co...y/dp/B006CAXQ4E

[Helene]

Both DVDs are part of a series of DVDs sponsored by the Gades Foundation in collaboration with the Teatro Centro in Madrid:

http://www.flamenco-...es26112011.html

The "Carmen" is the stage version of the collaboration between Carlos Saura and Antonio Gades at the same time the film "Carlos Saura's 'Carmen'" was being made. It differs from the film version. For example, one of the plot lines in the film was that Cristina Hoyos's character Cristina was told that she might be the best dancer, but that wasn't what he wanted for Carmen. In the stage version, she portrayed Carmen.

"Fuenteovajuna" is based on a play by Lope de Vega, and the story is described here:

http://en.wikipedia....i/Fuenteovejuna

This is also a theater version performed by the late Gades' company. Gades was trained in classical ballet, classical Spanish dance, and Flamenco; he used the latter two frequently in his work. According to the description in the flamenco-world.com announcement, there is also folk dance in this work.

Here is the link to the stage version of "Blood Wedding/Suite Flamenco", the third in the series.

http://www.amazon.co...bxgy_01_01_t_lh

This page has short videos of each:

https://www.flamenco...3-dvds%29/5866/

Please note that these are all in blu ray, and there aren't regular versions listed on the amazon.co.uk site.

I'll wait to see if they show up through US amazon in regular format. Otherwise I'll have to bite the bullet and pay in GBP and get a blu ray player: Gades is one of my dance heros, and I haven't seen either version. The UK amazon prices are cheaper than flamenco-world.com's price of 39.90 Euros each, even with the 10% discount being offered site-wide now, which would be eaten up by shipping, but the site says that there is "also" a blu ray version, and I don't see any mention of blu ray on the page with the video links.

[sandik]

Oooh, Gades!

[cubanmiamiboy]

"Bodas de Sangre"-("Blood Wedding")-has been part of the Cuban company repertoire for a long time-(it was staged by Gades himself over there), and was very popular back when Loipa Araujo danced the role of "la mujer"-("the woman"). Later on it faded away a bit...(I confess it was never my favorite, as I've always been partial to flamenco dancing.

[Helene]

The Gades Foundation published a beautiful book in tribute to Gades after his death. It was clear from the quotes and photos that he loved Cuba.

[bart]

Helene, the flamenco-world.com link does not seem to include a clip of Gades' Bodas de Sangre.

Cristian, am I right in assuming that your clip is part of a full-length work? The 5-minute clip covers such a tiny portion of the action in Bodas de Sangre, a three-act stage play. There's an awful lot of story to come. And a lot more characters. Do they attempt to tell the entire story in any kind of detail?

Also: does the range of dance movement expand as new characters are introduced? The choreography in this single clip seems rather limited (flamenco gestures more than flamenco dancing).

I love Lorca, but -- based on two examples of choreography set to different play (this clip, and Mat Eks's Casa de Bernarda Alba) -- I'm wondering whether a Lorca ballet is such a good idea. I

[Drew]

I regret that I don't remember Blood Wedding very well--other than as a work of great dramatic intensity--but I do remember being very, very impressed by it when the Cubans first brought it to the States and being very dazzled by Gades.

[James]

Thanks everybody for your informed comments !!!

[Mme. Hermine]

When I saw the Cubans in NY in 1978 he danced Hilarion to Alonso's Giselle; and some years before the Lyric Opera of Chicago had him and 4 other dancers from his company in to dance in the second act of Carmen.