By Casey Rieder, SDAM Staff Writer
©Copyright 2024 SDAM.com/Casey Rieder

Olé Flamenco stole the show from the San Diego Symphony Orchestra on February 21. In its performance Flamenco: Song, Dance, Passion, the symphony adapted well to the atypical music it played, but still could not compete with the empassioned showmanship of the Olé Flamenco dance and music troupe. The show as a whole, alternating between orchestral pieces, short video clips of 'traditional' flamenco playing, and the music and dance of Olé Flamenco, was a great way to experience flamenco within a concert hall. At the beginning of the performance, the Symphony performed a short excerpt from a flamenco-inspired suite by Spanish composer Isaac Albeniz. Following this piece, the conductor, Murry Sidlin, took the microphone and taught the audience a bit about flamenco and its influences. Next, we watched a medley of film clips of famous flamenco singers and guitarists. While educational, this lecture & video portion seemed slightly out of place in a concert setting. Where was all the live music we had come to hear? Well, it came afterwards, with a few more orchestral pieces. Still, though, we wanted a more multi-faceted approach to flamenco. This aspect of the show came when Olé Flamenco took the stage to close the first half. With a guitarist, drummer, singer, and 8 excellent dancers, Olé Flamenco took the power of flamenco from the bars of southern Spain and transplanted it into Copley Symphony Hall. Their coordinated choreography and music created quite a spectacle. After intermission, the orchestra came back to perform one of the quintessential examples of Spanish music, Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, with soloist Roberto Limón on guitar. This was a phenomenal performance of a phenomenal piece of music, and I was quite thrilled. Following the concerto, the orchestra brought the Olé Flamenco dancers back on stage for the finale - a Spanish ballet written by composer Manuel de Falla. This combination of orchestral power and potent dancing made for an electrifying end to an electrifying show. If possible, try to catch Olé Flamenco anywhere, at any time, that you find out they are performing...it's well worth the effort. Find out more about the San Diego Symphony