CHICAGO FLAMENCO FESTIVAL 2021 - Nino de los Reyes & Amparo Heredia

CHICAGO FLAMENCO FESTIVAL 2021

Organized by the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago

Chicago´s non-for-profit center for the Spanish language and cultural exchange

Doors open at 6.45 pm

In order to provide the safest space possible, proof of COVID-19 vaccination (or a recent negative test), for everyone over age 12 will be required for attendance at our in-person classes, cultural events and library. Full details at our COVID-19 protocol FAQ

https://chicago.cervantes.es/en/a_message_about_coronavirus_spanish.htm

October 16 – November 13, 2021

From October 16 to November 13, 2021, the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago will once again be home to the Chicago Flamenco Festival, now in its 19th edition. This festival, organized and directed by the Instituto, is recognized as being the only one of its kind in the Midwest.

During those five weeks, eight live performances and an extensive parallel program that includes documentaries, conferences, and workshops, are presented for audiences of all types, fulfilling the festival’s objective of contributing to the culture and identity of Hispanics in Chicago.

The festival offers both established flamenco artists and promising young newcomers the opportunity to show their art outside of Spain. Throughout its existence, the festival has been able to unite Chicago flamenco fans with those who love international culture, music, dance, and singing. This passionate, complicated art form, born of gypsies in Spain’s southern regions, has endured despite many obstacles, maintaining its rightful legacy in the art world.

Event attendees have granted permission to the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago and its designees to utilize their image or likeness in connection with any live or recorded transmission or preproduction of such event.

Please note that the Chicago Flamenco Festival schedule is subject to change due to inclement weather or to circumstances beyond our control.To confirm the program schedule, please call 312.335.1996 or visit our website https://chicago.cervantes.es/en/default.shtm

NINO DE LOS REYES

Nino de los Reyes began his career at 9 years old in the show “Campanas Flamencas,” directed by Paco Sánchez, founder of the legendary Cumbre Flamenca. He has shared the stage with a number of celebrated flamenco stars, including Joaquín Grilo, Milagros Mengibar, La Tati, Antonio Reyes, and his own brother, Isaac de los Reyes. From a young age, Nino began to perform in great flamenco companies like those of Eduardo Serrano “El Güito,” Carmen Cortes, and Javier Barón. In addition, he formed part of Enrique Morente’s ensemble.

Fellow flamenco artists with whom de los Reyes has worked include Pepe Habichuela, Josemi Carmona, Juan José Suárez “Paquete”, José María Bandera, Niño Josele, Jesús de Rosario, Juan Carmona, Ramon el Portugués, Miguel el Rubio, Montse Cortes, José Soto “Sorderita,” Rafael de Utrera, Jorge Pardo, Carles Benavent, Alain Pérez, and Rubén Dantas. In 2010, he won three awards in the Madrid Spanish Dance and Flamenco Choreography Competition for his show, “Origen.” The awards included First Prize for Solo Choreography, Emerging Flamenco Artist, and Best Original Music (composed by Paco Cruz). Recently, de los Reyes was invited to participate in a tribute concert for Paco de Lucía, “Beyond the Memory,” sharing the stage with members of de Lucía’s band. He was also invited to record on the Mediaset television program, “Flamencos en El Berlín,” collaborating with the biggest superstars in flamenco dance, including Antonio Canales, Juan Manuel Fernández Montoya “Farruquito,” Antonio Fernández Montoya “Farru,” José Maya, Paloma Fantova, and Belen López.

Currently, thanks to his versatility and knowledge of both music and dance, de los Reyes has been asked to record and collaborate with some of the world’s biggest pop and jazz stars. Most notably, he participated on international superstar Paul Simon’s latest album, “Stranger to Stranger.” De los Reyes performed with Simon at the Madrid Barclays Center to an audience of 20,000. He was also invited by the living legend of jazz, Chick Corea, to perform at his 75th birthday celebration at the Blue Note in New York, and later in Madison Square Garden. Most recently, de los Reyes finished the recording of “Antidote,” Chick Corea and the Spanish Heart Band’s latest album, which also features star musician Rubén Blades. The Spanish Heart Band toured Europe in Summer 2019, passing through some of the most important festivals in the continent such as the Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, and Love Supreme among others. Nino de los Reyes own shows include “Origen,” “Inside,” and his most recent creation, “Tierra,” directed by David Picazo.

AMPARO HEREDIA “LA REPOMPILLA”

Amparo Heredia is a flamenco singer from gypsy origins. Born in Málaga in 1970, Heredia began to sing at the age of 16 in Miami under the guidance of Juan de Alba at a local tablao (an intimate space where flamenco is performed). Despite her young age, she toured many of the flamenco tablaos in the most important cities in the U.S., including in Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C. Later she joined the Carlota Santana Company, where she worked for several years at the Symphony Space Theater in New York. At the tablao El Flamenco in México City, Heredia spent a long season in which she sang with all the great artists who passed through. Later, she returned to Spain, where she worked in one of the most important flamenco tablaos in Madrid, Casa Patas, El Corral de la Pacheca, etc. There, Heredia achieved great recognition in the flamenco community and became an in-demand singer for dancers. She has worked with La Lupi, the acclaimed dancer from Málaga, as well as the bailaor Juan Andrés Maya, with whom she has traveled throughout Spain with the flamenco shows “Furia Maya,” “La Pasión,” “Tres Homenajes,” and “Salvajes.” On the 50th anniversary of Christian Dior, Heredia performed in the gardens of Versailles with Manuel Lombo. It could be said that Amparo has sung to almost all the leading figures of the Spanish flamenco dancing scene.

While Heredia has dedicated her art and voice to singing for dance, this does not mean that she isn’t a great solo cantaora. She has given recitals and has performed on the stages of most of the flamenco clubs in Málaga as well as some of the most important ones in Andalusia, including Peña Juan Brevas (Málaga), Peña el Piyayo, Peña la Platería (Granada), and Peña Torres Macarena (Seville). In addition, Heredia has performed at renowned festivals and shows such as II Bienal de Málaga, Veranos del Corral del Carbón de Granada, Otoños flamencos de Granada, See You at Your Peña, tribute to Enrique Morente in the Generalife Gardens, and regional circuits with the Málaga government.

In 2017, she premiered her own show, “Herencia Flamenca,” at the Tío Luis de la Juliana festival in Madrid, which was very well received by the public and critics. She has performed this show in many festivals and theaters, highlighting the Málaga flamenco art Biennial in 2017 and the summer shows of the Corral de Granada in 2018

In 2021, “La Repompilla” has been blessed with several of the top flamenco singing awards, including three prizes in three categories of The Cantes de las Minas in La Unión (Murcia, Spain): Cantes Bajos Andaluces Award, Cantes de Málaga, Granada, and Córdoba Award, and Mining Award.

Heredia has also won the most prestigious and highest International flamenco singing award, La Lámpara Minera in 2021.

Host or Publisher Instituto Cervantes Chicago