In a concert that fizzed with energy, Paco Peña entranced a packed Regent Theatre on Saturday.
You would not guess Peña was 83 years old given his dazzling display of virtuoso flamenco guitar.
He took the solo seat on the stage but sounded like two or more players as he plucked complex melodies and driving rhythms.
After three songs, he used the mic affixed to the body of his guitar to thank the audience for sharing in his culture, describing how he had played songs from his hometown of Cordoba and by flamenco master Ramon Montoya.
The songs built over the first half, with a guitarist and drummer joining partway through the fourth song, followed by two singers and two dancers.
The appearance of a male dancer in all black, who moved like a panther on to the stage during a melancholic song, produced an audible ‘wow!’ from the crowd.
The energy picked up with the percussive footwork of a female dancer, accented by the layered train of her traditional red flamenco dress, before both dancers closed the first half with an upbeat song that drew long cheers.
The excitement rose in the second half as the dancers and singers wove scintillating stories with lithe and snapping movements supported by compelling song.
The energy pulsed off the stage into the audience as we grew comfortable with cheering during the songs for striking moments, or joining in with an ‘‘ole!’’ as the singers celebrated the dancers.
The drummer then performed a hands-only solo, even striking the cymbals with his fingers, and the dancers showcased impeccable control while mirroring one another seated on chairs.
Throughout the show, Paco Peña was the heart of each song, expressing flamenco as a conversation between highly skilled artists and the audience.
Otepoti has been waiting for this show for a long time and Peña and his troupe delivered.
At the final bows, the enthusiastic audience rose to its feet in acclaim and the thunderous applause lasted for five minutes or more. The standing encore was met with stamping feet and more loud clapping and cheering.
Review by Rosa Flaherty
