Suspense, intrigue, sex, scandal, love: Luxurîa (“Lust”), the latest flamenco dance-theater sensation from Spain’s internationally renowned Barcelona Flamenco Ballet. As part of a global tour, one performance only is set for The Alex Theatre in Los Angeles (Glendale) on Saturday, April 16 at 8pm.
David Gutiérrez -- photo by unniks.com
Award-winning Barcelona Flamenco Ballet artistic directors, choreographers and ballarines principals (principal dancers) David Gutiérrez and Paula Reyes will be accompanied on the Alex stage by cantaor (singer) Joel de Pepa and guitarrista (guitarist) Jordi Centeno. Percussionista (percussionist) Gerardo Morales, a Los Angeles native and local flamenco circuit favorite, joins the ensemble for the L.A. segment of the company’s eight-state U.S. tour.
Guitarrista Jordi Centeno
Showcasing the company’s unique, pioneering style that combines traditional flamenco dance and music with elements of ballet, classical and jazz, Luxurîa spins an intensely passionate tale about a charismatic artist (Gutiérrez) who encounters the greatest love of his life (Reyes). The audience becomes privy to the performers’ most intimate emotions when “Lust” intervenes. Barcelona Flamenco Ballet’s innovative form of flamenco conveys the intensity, the passion and the tragedy as our hero is plagued by self-doubt, pride, despair and, ultimately, loneliness.
Paula Reyes and David Gutiérrez in Luxurîa. Photo by Victor Parreno.
One of the most skilled and talented flamenco artists in Spain, BFB founder Gutiérrez is an internationally recognized leader of modern flamenco. A child prodigy, he trained in Andalusia with some of the best maestros before going on to perform as a soloist and winning “Best Flamenco Solo Dancer” at the Gibraltar Stage Dance Festival. In 2018, he was recognized by all 200 member countries of the United Nations with admission to the International Dance Council.
Luxurîa premiered last August at the Sibiu International Theatre Festival in Romania, one of the most important performing arts festivals in the world. In addition to the current U.S. tour, Luxurîa will return to Romania before traveling to Italy and South Korea.Luxurîa
Barcelona Flamenco Ballet
Alex Theatre, 216 North Brand Blvd. in GlendaleSaturday, April 16 at 8for tickets, call (818) 254-8456 or go to Alex Theatre
