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New York Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Review: A Flamenco Powerhouse Is Still the Star but Not the Whole Show
'Cuidado!,' someone in the audience at the Joyce Theater yelled on Tuesday. It was opening night of Noche Flamenca's new show, 'Legacy of Our Dreams,' and the company's star, Soledad Barrio, was finishing her climactic solo. Turning in the direction of dimming light from one of the wings, she was nearing the edge of the slightly raised dance platform. The voice in the audience was warning her to be careful. Too late. She fell into the wing. It's a measure of Barrio's total commitment to her art that this accident looked nearly intentional, a fitting culmination to her solo's descent into despair. To watch Barrio perform a Solea — the flamenco form that, like her first name, means 'solitude' — is always to be a little concerned for her safety, at least emotionally, such is the slow-ratcheting, soul-baring intensity of her dancing. But if the fall was artistically consistent, it was also concerning. Barrio is 60. When she returned to the stage during the ensemble finale, apparently uninjured, it was a relief. (A company representative said later that she wasn't hurt.) Barrio won't have to sit out the rest of Noche Flamenca's Joyce run, but what is most remarkable about the company's latest production is how little it would change if she did. It would lose its boiling point and star turn, but apart from the opening and closing group numbers, that solo is Barrio's only appearance. As a close follower of the company for decades, I can't remember a show less focused on her. 'Legacy of Our Dreams' doesn't really have a clear focus. Press materials suggested that it would be an extension of last year's 'Searching for Goya,' inspired by the Spanish painter, but there's no mention of him in the program, and unlike the earlier show, the titles of the numbers don't obviously correspond to his works. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Irish Times
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Big Band Evolution pianist Cormac McCarthy: ‘I'm still not able to understand how I played. It was painful to hit the keys'
Every summer of his early childhood, the Irish pianist, composer and arranger Cormac McCarthy would travel with his family to musical gatherings in Italy. Organised by the maverick pianist, musical polymath and Irish traditional-music devotee Antonio Breschi – a friend of McCarthy's father, the noted flute, whistle and fiddle player Johnny McCarthy – the concert and festival appearances brought together musicians from many backgrounds. 'As well as my dad and Irish musicians such as [the accordionist] Máirtín O'Connor, [the guitarist] Steve Cooney and [the uilleann piper] Joe McHugh, I remember there would be flamenco guitarists from Spain, a jazz bass player from Slovenia and a Moroccan fiddle player called Jamal Ouassini, who also played in the Verona Opera Orchestra,' McCarthy says. 'Much of the music was written by Antonio, and it was this visionary kind of world music that blended flamenco with Irish traditional music, jazz and blues. We'd sometimes tour Italy for a couple of months, and being around all those different musicians is definitely one of my strongest memories as a child.' Although the 41-year-old says he has always taken such an open and adventurous approach to music-making for granted – his father, for example, is equally at home in the worlds of trad and classical – he recognises now that these Italian musical meetings were at once highly unusual and powerfully formative (as well as a lot of fun). They have also provided some kind of model for much of his subsequent musical career. READ MORE McCarthy is a singular musician who is admirably hard to classify and pin down: 'genre-fluid' is the apt phrase used to describe him by one of his students at Cork School of Music, where he is a lecturer. He has played traditional Irish music in a variety of settings and with much success – including, for example, with master fiddle player Martin Hayes in his borderless Common Ground Ensemble, in a free-flowing trio with singer Iarla Ó Lionáird and clarinettist Matthew Berrill, and with the forward-thinking group Notify. McCarthy has composed contemporary classical music for various ensembles and recently completed a commission for the National Symphony Orchestra. His compositions and arrangements have also been performed by singer-songwriters such as Mick Flannery, Gavin James, Niamh Regan and Jack O'Rourke. As a conductor, McCarthy has led the Irish Chamber Orchestra, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra. I meet McCarthy at his home in Nohoval, half an hour south of Cork and 10 minutes or so across the fields from the sea. [ The Gloaming's Iarla Ó Lionaird: 'My mother would keep each of her children home from school one day a week so she could get to know us' Opens in new window ] If he is pushed, he will agree to being principally a jazz pianist and composer. McCarthy has worked in a highly interactive duo with the jazz trombonist Paul Dunlea, led the sprightly jazz piano trio Súp and for the past decade been the director of the Cork School of Music Big Band. 'If I'm writing a big-band chart, that's probably where I feel most comfortable, most at home,' he says. At the National Concert Hall in Dublin at the start of August, McCarthy will present Big Band Evolution, an evening featuring an RTÉ Concert Orchestra ensemble that explores the glorious history and vitality of the jazz orchestra. There is a kind of protean positivity to his approach. Hayes once described how he and McCarthy were trying to work out a tune: 'I said to Cormac, 'Now where would I find a jazz pianist that could lilt a reel at the same time?' That's the knowledge he has at his fingertips,' Hayes said. 'He is an incredible musician. Cormac is world class.' McCarthy seems to provide plenty of space for disparate styles to naturally coexist and organically connect, a generosity of spirit that can be heard most clearly on his two albums as leader: the 2015 group record Cottage Evolution and the 2022 solo piano release On the Other Hand. In an episode of TG4's Cumasc: Seisiúin sa Black Gate, Ó Lionáird uses the word 'rhizomic' to evoke such a process: it's an adjective used to describe a system or network that allows connections between any of its constituent parts. McCarthy grew up the eldest of three children in a remote cottage near the village of Ovens, about 15km west of Cork City. His parents are from working-class northside Cork; his mother, Ger, played camogie for the county, loves music and recently retired as a nurse. Quickly becoming immersed in the tight-knit traditional-music community of his father, McCarthy frequently travelled with him to sessions. Cormac McCarthy had classical piano lessons from the age of four Uncommonly, his father, Johnny, also played classical silver flute, performing with ensembles and orchestras, and studying for a time at the music conservatory in Zurich. 'I'm obviously biased, but, because he can play both traditional and classical music, the sound he makes on the flute is something totally unique,' McCarthy says. 'My dad's a big influence.' McCarthy had classical piano lessons from the age of four; around the time he was 14 'the bug bit', and he began to dedicate himself more fully to becoming a classically trained pianist. He also had health issues that meant he could no longer feed his other passion, sport. 'I channelled everything into music. It became my refuge,' McCarthy says. He competed in competitions, attended masterclasses and went on to an undergraduate degree at Cork School of Music. Johnny McCarthy also had a love of jazz, from the vibrant music of such home-grown stars of the music as Louis Stewart and Jim Doherty to the evocative and wide-ranging sound worlds being shaped by Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek and Pat Metheny on the influential German label ECM. That enthusiasm also rubbed off on the young Cormac. Not only did he begin to listen to such pivotal jazz pianists as Bud Powell, Bill Evans and Ahmad Jamal, but, from the age of 15, he also began to play with the newly formed jazz big band at Cork School of Music. 'I would've had the technical ability but absolutely none of the language of jazz,' he says. 'I had to learn pretty quickly.' His skill and talent, both on classical and on jazz piano, continued to rapidly develop until, aged 20, and in the third year of his degree, they hit an unexpected and cruelly debilitating barrier. Asked at short notice to perform Rhapsody in Blue, Gershwin's immortal 1924 composition for solo piano and jazz band, McCarthy embarked on an intensive practice regimen. It caused acute tendonitis in his right hand, so much so that he almost could not play the concert at Cork City Hall. 'To this day I'm still not able to understand how I did it, as it was actually painful to hit the keys,' he says. 'But at the time I remember thinking these performance-related strains are quite common, and it will pass and I will be cured. But after the concert I wasn't really able to play for a while, and, to be honest, ever since then my hand hasn't been right. It's complex, but it's essentially a nerve issue; the nerves can shut down and I cannot play.' The programme will trace the history of big-band jazz from its roots in Harlem in the 1920s to contemporary composers exploring and expanding the form. Photograph: Andres Poveda On graduating in 2006, McCarthy almost gave up music. 'The more I tried to play the piano, the worse it got,' he says. 'My hand was sore all the time and it was affecting my daily life – I couldn't even take the lid off jars and bottles. It was tough and I'd say I was depressed. I thought, I'll just go and do something else with my life.' A combination of a year travelling to the British Association of Performance Arts Medicine in London, where he adjusted his technique and learned to play with the weight of his arm as well as his hand, and a course of stability and strengthening exercises with a physiotherapist in Dublin meant that, since then, McCarthy has discovered how to cope with his condition. He can perform, but he often has to take time before and after when he rests his hand and does not play. The forced break led McCarthy to refocus, and he began to increasingly devote himself to developing his skills as a composer. He went on to do a Master's in composition at the Cork School of Music, subsequently winning a Bill Whelan bursary to complete a Master's in jazz studies at the prestigious DePaul University, in Chicago, where he concentrated on composing and arranging for large ensembles. Today he is as well known for this latter aspect of his work as he is as a gifted pianist. 'At times, not being able to play still frustrates me, but ultimately I see it less and less as bad luck and probably 80 per cent as a positive thing,' he says. 'I think getting a blow like that at that age probably strengthened me a bit. And even though I'd always written music, I hadn't composed or arranged for large ensembles, and then hearing my music being played by big bands or string sections and orchestras ... well, I really fell in love with that feeling.' The Big Band Evolution concert is a celebration of that emotion, of the majesty of a great melody, the glory of jazz harmony and the authority and control of a swinging 18-piece ensemble, drawn from the multifaceted RTÉ Concert Orchestra, plus the American vocalist Dana Masters, in full flight. In a programme that McCarthy has smartly chosen to trace the history of big-band jazz from its roots in Harlem in the 1920s to contemporary composers exploring and expanding the form a century later, the concert will feature the music of master composers and bandleaders such as Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson and Count Basie, as well as more modernist large-ensemble writers such as Bob Brookmeyer, Maria Schneider and Darcy James Argue. The evening will also include a McCarthy composition that spotlights the guitarist Jake Curran and a specially commissioned arrangement of the wonderful slow air Port na bPúcaí. Future McCarthy projects include composing a piano concerto, and a new duo album with the versatile violinist Aoife Ní Bhriain – again deftly poised at the interstices of trad, jazz and classical. 'The more I learn about music, and the better and more knowledgeable, I like to think, I get, the less I think about stylistic boundaries,' McCarthy says. 'Yes, there are obvious nuances and subtleties, and the possibilities are endless, but more and more I realise that it's music first, it's all coming from the one place, and it's all the same. It's just all the same.' Big Band Evolution is at the National Concert Hall , in Dublin, on Friday, August 1. McCarthy also appears with Martin Hayes and the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra at Cork Opera House on Wednesday, September 10th
South China Morning Post
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
5 Greater Bay Area shows and concerts in August 2025 to catch
This August, the Greater Bay Area (GBA) becomes a global stage for an eclectic line-up of cultural events. Advertisement From an intriguing flamenco adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera to classical 19th-century Russian ballets to contemporary art exhibitions, there is something for everyone. Here are five highlights. 1. Flamenco adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera Poster for Ballet Flamenco de Granada's The Phantom of the Opera. Photo: 247tickets The longest-running show in Broadway history is taking a fresh turn via a unique fusion with flamenco, a Spanish folk dance known for its intense movements and portrayals of emotion. Ballet Flamenco de Granada, one of Spain's three major flamenco dance troupes, is touring China with its adaptation of the musical, with a stop in Shenzhen at the beginning of August. Dates: August 1-2 Advertisement Venue: Bay Opera of Shenzhen
Telegraph
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The best bars and nightlife in the Costa Blanca
Nights out in the Costa Blanca can be as wild or wound down as you fancy. On warm evenings, couples snuggle up on rooftop terraces, while sea-facing bars host parties, with home-grown DJs and open-air dance floors. For a more relaxed affair, go to Xàbia, where medieval streets twinkle with fairy lights and families potter between cocktail bars. Even the smallest coves hide chiringuitos (beach bars), where the sounds of the sea mingle with Cuban groove. The roguish nightlife of Benidorm is infamous, but for a grown-up night out, these are the best places to visit. All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best bars in the Costa Blanca. Find out more below or for more inspiration, see our guides to the best restaurants, beaches and things to do. Find bars by type: Best for brilliant wine Bodega Casa Benjamín This century-old wine bar is the kind of time-warp bodega every visitor dreams of stumbling upon. Bodega Casa Benjamín is impeccably dressed with upturned wine barrels, gingham fabric over the shelves and colourful tiles. On marble tabletops, groups of friends sip homemade vermouth and chilled cañas (small beer). In the evenings, it's filled with lively chatter and on Thursdays, the weekly flamenco night draws an even bigger crowd – settle in for dancing and the click-clacking of castanets. Bodegas Galiana Dénia Walk past Bodegas Galiana Dénia and it looks more like a deli than a bar, with shelves of artisan tinned fish and a counter filled with wheels of cheese. But improvised tables and a row of stools at the counter make this a fine place to sample top-quality wine, cava and champagne. Even the house cava is excellent – a crisp glass of what most consider to be Requena's best cava producer, Dominio de la Vega. ADuana Wine Experience Evenings in aDuana Wine Experience are an opulent affair. Found on the high street of Dénia, the wine bar and restaurant is a riot of abstract art, velvet upholstery and Louis Vuitton handbags swinging from the ceiling. Guests are welcomed by a slick team and magnums of Taittinger on ice. Take time to explore the enormous wine list with bottles from around the world. On a hot day, a chilled Perrier-Jouët champagne is ideal.
Telegraph
28-06-2025
- Telegraph
An expert guide to the perfect weekend in Seville this summer
Known for its steamy-hot summers, mild winters and sultry operatic gypsy heroine Carmen, Seville is a bijou city whose fabulous food, extraordinary Mudejar, Gothic and Renaissance architecture, and exotic flamenco rhythms never fail to charm and seduce. History oozes through its pores, with ancient Moorish walls, Roman ruins and Baroque churches at every turn. Follow the locals to hole-in-the-wall bars, sip cañas (small glasses) of beer, and then get lost wandering the tiny streets of Barrio Santa Cruz, dotted with orange-tree-filled plazas, before resting in a quiet, shady corner on a tiled bench. For a more authentic experience, head to boho Macarena or tile-and-gypsy quarter Triana. Then, after dusk, head up the rooftops to admire the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and its Moorish-Christian tower from a terrace bar. For further Seville inspiration, see our in-depth guides to the city's best hotels, restaurants, bars, things to see and do, and things to see and do for free. If planning a longer trip, discover our ultimate itinerary in Andalusia here. In this guide: What's new in Seville this summer Experience Sacred art exhibition at Castillo de San Jorge Admire artisan pieces from Seville's Semana Santa processions at the medieval Castillo de San Jorge, until late August – from lifelike wooden images and elaborate silver floats to carved candles and exquisitely embroidered velvet canopies. I also loved the Divina Pastora's (Holy Shepherdess) gold lace bonnet and the wax petal installation. Stay Casa del Limonero A winning combination of magnificent 15th-century palace, tranquil garden and swimming pool, plus a stunning contemporary art collection. Casa del Limonero is Santa Cruz's intriguing new boutique hotel opening. Sit on a Jacobsen Egg chair, see captivating Malick Sidibé portraits and then float in a sea-green mosaic-tiled pool. Eat Augurio A women-led team brings the finest catch and the warmest service to centrally located Augurio. As always, the delectably tender, juicy atún de almadraba (sustainably caught bluefin tuna) is best appreciated raw as tartare, paired with a rich Amontillado sherry. How to spend your weekend Day one: morning Be swept back in time to King Pedro the Wise's Mudejar (Christian-Moorish) royal court at the 14th-century Alcazar Palace, with its exquisite ceramic tiles and heavenly gold ceilings. Explore the gardens, home to peacocks, pavilions and pools. Look familiar? You may have seen it as the Water Gardens of Dorne in Game of Thrones. In summer, outdoor night-time concerts are held here, probably Seville's most magical venue, with the grutesco stone wall as a backdrop as moonlight streams through the palm trees. Note that tickets are collected from the office in the Patio de Banderas, not at the main entrance; entry is free on Monday afternoons. Find more of the city's best attractions here.
