The frenetic dances and heel tapping of La Moneta electrified the Luz de Gas concert hall in Barcelona
The show is a danced dramatization of the artist's reading of the poetry of Teresa de Ávila, which is based on the conference “Teoría y Juego del Duende”
Those attending the Luz de Gas room, in the upper area of Barcelona, were impatiently waiting for La Moneta to go on stage. For many, it was one of the most outstanding performances of the “Ciutat Flamenco Barcelona”, a contest held in the Catalan capital between May 20 and 29.
With the room in darkness and a rigorous silence, La Moneta appeared in a white dress, pure as a bride. Together with a singer, two guitarists –Spanish and electric-, and two choristers who clapped hard, she performed the show “Divino Amor Humano”. It is a danced dramatization of the artist's reading of the poetry of Teresa de Ávila, which is based on the conference “Teoría y Juego del Duende” by the famous Andalusian poet Federico García Lorca.
Two huge windows were projected on the stage screen. La Moneta began to give soft clicks and hypnotizing movements of the wrist. “I live without living in myself, I live outside of myself”, began the cantaora solemnly after her. The turns of the hands and hips of the artist were perfectly in time with the tempo of the guitar arpeggios. La Moneta demonstrated her exquisite mastery of compás, which she applies to a wide variety of registers.
While the tempo of the scratches of the Spanish guitar grew devilishly, the bailaora's face showed fury, rage and passion. “What a bitter life, where I don't know how to enjoy myself, sir”, pronounced the cantaora. The stage was taken by the distortion of the electric guitar, which started a minor scale with sharp notes, long sustained over time. Suddenly, there was a perfect fusion between the clean harmonies of the Spanish guitar with the fast-paced solo of that electric guitar, more typical of a heavy metal concert.
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Between the intense click of the heels, La Moneta shook her skirt, and fist raised ended the long opening song. After her well-deserved applause, she put on a black blouse, and in front of three huge crucifixes projected in the background, she started a battery of heels combined with blows on her entire body. Beads of sweat were already glistening on her forehead: she seemed to be possessed.
The perfect coordination of the cantes with the guitar scratches provided an eminently Cordovan atmosphere, which the bailaora constantly spinning 360 degrees, always maintaining her composure. “Anxious to see you, I prefer to die. Dream adored, get me out of here”, recited her colleague with a powerful voice that echoed throughout the room.
Another song started with a projection of lighted candles and intriguing violin music. La Moneta displayed a subtle dance, illuminated by lilac lights that combined perfectly with her dress, again pure white and shimmering. But an imposing electric guitar riff, shaped with a wah pedal that modified its frequency, brought her back on stage dressed entirely in black.
The final bars were tremendous. The bailaora turned into a real machine gun with her heels, while his colleague scratched the Spanish guitar at the speed of light. A red skirt added adrenaline, and after her final pirouette he tore off her shirt staring into infinity. The applause of the public was endless. “Anxious to see you, I want to die”, proclaimed the cantaora. La Moneta and her companions were acclaimed in a loop by the attendees. Her performance lasting just over an hour satiated the public desire for flamenco.
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