Paco Peña's Solera the perfect flamenco blend at Sadler's Wells

By Graham Watts, 24 April 2022

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“despite knocking on the octogenarian door, Peña’s mastery of the guitar is undiminished”

Reviewed at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London on 20 April 2022

Solera (Fernando Romero)

Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Company

Jude Kelly, Director

Paco Peña, Guitar

Dani de Morón, Guitar

Rafael Montilla, Guitar

Iván Carpio, Flamenco singer

Inmaculada Rivero, Flamenco singer

Julio Alcocer, Percussion

Ángel Muñoz, Dancer

Gabriel Matías, Dancer

Adriana Bilbao, Dancer

Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Company in Solera: sensational and sensual

Graham Watts, 2nd April

Solera is a mix of experience and youth blended to create excellent vintage flamenco at London's Sadler's Wells.

****1

Jesús Carmona in UnYdos: extraordinary, rhythmic and theatrical

Graham Watts, 16th June

Compañía de Danza Jesús Carmona in UnYdos was a stunning evening of pure flamenco artistry, enlivened by a tremendous sense of theatre, and augurs well for the rest of the festival.

*****

This is Rambert: all in the present tense

Graham Watts, 10th June

Rambert celebrates 100 years presenting a triple bill of recent or new works. The message is clearly to look forward and not back.

***11

Dada Masilo’s Hamlet: inimitable mix of wisdom and audacity

Maggie Foyer, 25th May

Dada Masilo wanted her audiences to feel the passion and to leave the theatre with a buzz. In her Hamlet, the commitment of the cast ensures this message still holds true.

****1

Northern Ballet’s Gentleman Jack: brave but bland at Sadler’s Wells

Jonathan Gray, 19th May

A bold choice for Northern Ballet, Gentleman Jack is beautifully danced but doesn’t go far enough in celebrating difference, individuality and freedom.

***11

BalletBoyz: Still Pointless at 25 and still making it work!

Maggie Foyer, 13th May

The BalletBoyz present an entertaining programme of old and new works spanning the last 25 years – with stellar performances.

****1

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Graham Watts

Graham Watts is a freelance dance writer and critic writing regularly for Dancing Times, Dance Europe, Danza Europa, and many more publications. He regularly writes features for Sadler’s Wells, London Coliseum and La Scala. Chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the United Kingdom and of the UK National Dance Awards he has interviewed many of the greatest names in dance including Maya Plisetskaya, Vladimir Vasiliev, Boris Eifman, Alexei Ratmansky, Andris Liepa, Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley and Dame Gillian Lynne. When not involved in dance Graham is a keen fencer, and has captained the British Sabre team.