Program Notes for Vicente Amigo at Carnegie Hall

Friday, March 4, 2016 at 8 PM                                                                                                          Isaac Stern Auditorium / Ronald O. Perelman Stage

Vicente Amigo, guitar

Antonio “Añil” Fernández, Second Guitar
Francisco “Paquito” González, Cajón
Ewen Vernal, Bass
Rafael de Utrera, Vocals
With Special Guest Antonio Molina “Choro,” Dancer

For all the spectacle of drama and virtuosity in flamenco — the flashes of movement and color by the dancers; the dazzling runs and powerful strumming on the guitar — at the beginning was the word.

While much of flamenco’s history is in dispute – including the origins of the word flamenco – many flamencologists agree that el cante, the singing, is the quintessential component of flamenco. (Perhaps, but not necessarily always, accompanied by palmas, clapping, or the tapping of knuckles on a table.)
The role of the guitar evolved from modest accompaniment in the earlier part of the 19^th century to solo instrument a century later.

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