Review: RAFAEL MONTILLA WITH COMPAÑÍA ALMA FLAMENCA – ADELAIDE GUITAR FESTIVAL 2024 at Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Saturday 14th September 2024.

Rafael Montilla played several contrasting and captivating pieces, the titles of which he might have announced and the significance of which he might have explained but, sadly, I do not speak Spanish. That aside, his contribution to the Festival was greatly appreciated and, like other performances that I have seen so far this year, it seemed to be over much too soon.

Flamenco concerts, with or without dancers, are always popular in this Guitar Festival, and it is easy to see why, especially when the Artistic Director, Slava Grigoryan, brings masters of this calibre to perform for us. His playing was passionate and evocative in this memorable performance.

For the last two pieces, he was joined by Slava and Leonard Grigoryan, and also Paco Peña, who composed the second of those works. Again, I didn’t catch the titles as they were in Spanish, of course. No matter, the two pieces, played by a quartet of such superb guitarists, were an absolute joy. We are so very lucky in Adelaide to see musicians of this standard and, to have them playing together, is a luxury.

The second half of the concert featured Adelaide’s Compañía Alma Flamenca dancers and musicians, whose director, Roshanne de Silva Wijeyeratne, is overseas at the moment and unable to perform with them. It was to have featured singer, el Titi de Algeciras. Unfortunately, he has throat problems and was unable to sing, although he still attended, albeit confined to a front-row seat in the audience. Cherie Morgan flew in from Melbourne to sing with Compañía Alma Flamenca in his place and did a fine job of it.

The group’s guitarist is the wonderful Alain Vālodze, a much-admired and highly respected musician and no stranger to this Festival. His playing was impeccable. Two forms of percussion added to the rhythmic excitement. Roger Gonzalez displayed great skill on the cajon, with the others leaving the stage briefly at one point, at which time he presented a marvellous solo. The other, body percussion, was the distinctive palmas (Flamenco clapping) which was led by Antonietta Barca.

Technically, I suppose, the dancing adds more percussion, but it is about more than just the sound of the dancers’ shoes on the hard floor. Natalie Quici, Sugika Nishiue, and Lisa Vertue performed solos and also danced together, displaying some very intricate choreography. The Flamenco is danced with the entire body, right to the very fingertips, involving complex and subtle movements, and all three were mesmerising.

It began with Guajiras, featuring the guitar, and building with the entry of the others, introducing the vocals and the first of the dances. Next, Inspirit, an instrumental, followed by a solo by Sugika Nishiue to Siguiriyas, and another from Natalie Quici to Alegria which segued into Alegrias bata de cola ( long tailed dresses). It was all a feast for the senses.

As a surprise, Rafael Montilla quietly entered and joined in at the finish for tangos and the Bulerias, Fin de Fiesta (Final Party Piece), an appropriate finale. There was, naturally, extensive applause for this skilled and enthusiastic group, and an extra round for Rafael Montilla.

Photography, Kyahm Ross.