Raices – November 2007

Media Release

For immediate release September 14, 2007 Calgary, AB

Annette Morcos Presents

“RAICES” 

“A Journey through the Roots of Flamenco 


Friday November 16, 2007 at 8:00 pm

University Theatre, University of Calgary CAMPUS

$28 in advance / $35 at the door

For information: 403-217-1954

 

“Raíces” takes the audience on a journey of music and dance to explore the roots of Flamenco. A unique European art form, Flamenco embodies a complex musical and cultural tradition rooted in ancient crossroads. “Raíces” narrates the story of Flamenco, bringing out the Spanish, Gypsy and Indian influences and highlighting the relationship between Flamenco and Arabic music. Integral in this performance is interplay between the dancers and live musicians, performing not only authentic flamenco guitar but also on traditional instruments. The concert brings together a mosaic of talented and well established local artists, each bringing their own rich musical and dance experience. This show is a repeat presentation of the sold out May 2007 show.
 

Musicians Ben Johnson, Jonathan Lewis, Robin Tufts, and David Matyas will transport the audience to lands far away with music on such instruments as the Oud, Buzuqi, violin, Dumbeck, tabla and Flamenco guitar. The vocals of Annette Morcos in Spanish, Arabic and Greek will embellish this musical experience. This mirage of exotic music will be interpreted in dance by Belly dancers Dafne Canales-lees and her Arabia Adorned group, by Flamenco dancers Annette Morcos, Maria Regnier, Francesca Canalizo, and Fineza Flamenca dancers, and Indian interpretation by KalaBhavan of Calgary.

“Raíces” is a one evening engagement, November 16, 2007 at the University Theatre, 8:00 pm University of Calgary Campus, 2500 University Dr SW

Tickets (reserved seating)
$28 in advance, $35 at the door.

Available at:
www.pumphousetheatres.ca or Pumphouse Box office (403)-263-0079.

Media Contact:
Marcela Antoniou

flamencocalgary@gmail.com

Concert Program

Concert multimedia

Concert Narrative:

Good evening,

My name is Annette Morcos; I am the producer of tonight’s presentation and I would like to welcome you to “Raices” a journey through the roots of Flamenco. 

Raices is a musical journey that also parallels a personal journey. I was born into a mixed heritage of Arabic, Greek and Italian, in a city and a country known, at the time, to be a true melting pot of cultures. I grew up in a household where the music of many cultures was always played and Indian movies were regularly aired on television, it was natural for my siblings and I to sing along with any of these songs and truly enjoy them for what they are.  All this has shaped my musical voyage and created sensitivity to world music and my openness to ethnic sounds.

This leads to my love of Flamenco, its emotive nature and intensity reflects the history of Spain, which over the centuries has absorbed the many different cultures that have settled there. Their ballads and music were enriched over time by the Greeks, who brought Eastern musical scales, the Romans who brought the predecessor of the guitar, the Moors who brought poetry, song and musical instruments and by the gypsies who shaped and preserved its ballads. These are just a few of the cultures that influenced and helped shape apart Spain’s music from any other Western European country. Through Raices, we try to give a cross section of the diverse influences on this art form, but it is by no means exhaustive. We simply hope to create an awareness of Flamenco’s diversity and spark your interest in the origins of this captivating centuries-old art form. We hope you enjoy the show!