Taste of Spain at Haven
Renowned 10-string Spanish classical and flamenco guitarist Matthew Fagan and leading flamenco dancer Laura Uhe will perform at Haven next month as part of a regional tour.
The pair will provide a Wimmera audience at Haven, in Horsham district, with insight into talent required to express the complexity and passion of the musical genre on March 1.
They will also donate $5 from each ticket to the show to Wildlife Victoria as part of statewide response to bushfire devastation.
Fagan has toured with the Buena Vista Social Club, Billy Connolly, Shirley Bassey, Natalie Cole and Michael Crawford and Uhe, who has performed flamenco dance in Opera Australia and Vic Opera’s productions of Carmen.
Uhe has studied flamenco dance intensively in Spain and Australia with master teachers and her performance features the use of castanets, shawl, fan, hand-clapping, footwork and a variety of traditional flamenco dresses.
Her performance highlights include the Melbourne Festival of the Arts, Arts Centre Latin Concert Series, Brunswick Music festival, Port Fairy Festival, Apollo Bay Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival and Sydney Carnivale, La Casa De Bernanda Alba at the Malthouse Theatre, and Suena Flamenca – a collaboration with flamenco artists from Sydney, Melbourne and Spain.
Fagan infuses the flamenco elements of Spanish flamenco guitar including techniques of Paco De Lucia and Paco Pena with the concert masterpieces of composers Isaac Albeniz – Asturias, Joaquin Rodrigo, excerpts from Concerto de Aranjuez and George Bizet’s Carmen in new arrangements.
His music also includes traditional middle-eastern gypsy music on fretless oud guitar and the tangoes of Astor Piazzola.
The concert features Spanish classical and flamenco music from Fagan’s new album El Vito, which will be launched at the show. It represents the first new full vinyl Spanish guitar album in Australia and internationally in more than 20 years.
Pre-booked tickets are $35, concession $30, family for two adults and two children $60 and children under-16 $15.
Tickets sold at the door will be subject to availability and cost an extra $5 a ticket. Patrons can also meet the artists with a gold coin donation. Bookings are available from Kellie on 0438 881 985 and online at spanishdancehaven.eventbrite.com.