| |
ANDALUCIA ROMANCES NEW YORK WITH ITS
8th ANNUAL FLAMENCO FESTIVAL 2008 IN FEBRUARY
Delta Air Lines’ new flights beckon New Yorkers to Andalucia:
JFK/Malaga nonstop inaugurating June 4
The Andalucia region of southern Spain excites New York with its Eighth Annual Flamenco Festival (February 8 to 24) featuring major theater performances by stellar flamenco singers, dancers and musicians “…one of New York City’s most important events” (Newsday).
Coinciding with the Flamenco Festival, delegates from the Andalucia Tourist Board (Turismo Andaluz) together with destination, hotel and resort representatives, will visit New York and other Northeast cities to participate in promotional activities and travel industry presentations, with the collaboration of Tourist Office of Spain in New York.
Of momentous marketing importance is the new nonstop air service to Andalucia -- Delta Air Lines’ exclusive nonstop flights between New York (JFK) and Malaga (AGP) inaugurating June 4 with three flights a week, increasing on July 8 to four flights a week! Delta also offers convenient JFK connections systemwide from cities such as Boston, Atlanta, Orlando, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Hence, Malaga’s Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport (duly named for its native son) will receive U.S. visitors direct to the Costa del Sol on the Mediterranean, and also becomes a welcoming hub for travel and tourism throughout Andalucia by car, train or bus. The airport is expanding with construction of an ultra-modern 2.7 million sq. ft. additional terminal scheduled for completion by the second half of 2009, and a second runway in 2010. www.delta.com
Iberia Airlines has increased its service to Spain from the U.S. with the introduction of nonstop flights to Madrid from Washington D.C. and from Boston, in addition to its ongoing New York, Miami and Chicago nonstops to Madrid. Service from each of these five U.S. gateways offers convenient connections through Iberia’s Madrid hub to cities in Andalucia. www.iberia.com
Another transportation milestone in Andalucia is the new high-speed AVE (Alta Velocidad Española) passenger train between Madrid and Malaga inaugurated December 23, 2007 with up to 13 departures scheduled throughout the day in each direction. The 513-kilometer/319-mile trip takes just 2-1/2 hours, reaching velocity up to 350 kph/215 mph.
This new Madrid-Malaga route complements Spain’s first AVE high-speed train service between Madrid and Seville (also a 2-1/2-hour trip) inaugurated with extraordinary success in 1992 for Seville’s Universal Exposition. www.renfe.com
Rooted in folk traditions, the ever-evolving art of flamenco is performed on the world’s great stages and appreciated by refined audiences who, in turn, are inspired to visit Andalucia. Today, flamenco continues as an integral and thriving essence of daily life throughout Andalucia’s eight provinces: Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Malaga, and Sevilla.
The following masterful performers of the Flamenco Festival, who tour worldwide, are exemplary of Andalusia. They have learned the art since childhood, or studied with great maestros, developing into magnificent and celebrated flamenco artists.At Manhattan’s Town Hall Theater, renowned singers, Carmen Linares and Miguel Poveda, share the stage with guitarist Juan Carlos Romero and dancer Pastora Galván on February 8. Dazzling Tomatito, “one of the greatest living flamenco guitarists” (New York Times) performs with his ensemble February 9.
Two extraordinary shows will enrapture audiences at New York City Center. On February 15, the Gala Flamenca entitled Mujeres (women of flamenco) features three generations of dancers: legendary Merche Esmeralda, innovative Belén Maya, and rising star Rocío Molina, with special guest, singer Diana Navarro, directed by renowned Mario Maya.. The Ballet Flamenco Eva Yerbabuena who, according to The Times of London, “is touched by greatness”, will debut a new show on February 16 and 17.
At NYU Skirball Center, the hot new Son de la Frontera ensemble performs fiery vocals, instrumentals and dance on February 23 and 24. This electrifying group was created in tribute to guitar maestro Diego del Gastor from Morón de la Frontera, Seville, and includes two of his grandnephews.
Promoting culinary appreciation of Andalucia, selected restaurants will feature Andalusian gastronomy and wines during February. Magazine and online sweepstakes will award trips to “the birthplace of flamenco”. Activities related to the Festival include complimentary flamenco dance classes for ticket holders to New York City Center performances. Classes start 90 minutes before curtain in the theater’s “Andalucía Lounge”.
The Flamenco Festival also hosts the following complimentary cultural events at the Instituto Cervantes New York (211 East 49 Street, 212-308-7720) at 6 pm: dialogue with dancer Eva Yerbabuena, February 11; lecture and demonstration by guitarist Paco Jarana February 12; dialogue with dancer-choreographer Mario Maya, February 13; and a screening of the film Zarbahe, la Naturaleza del Flamenco (the nature of flamenco), a documentary by Pepe Zapata, February 14.
The Flamenco Festival also tours North America with February performances in Washington, Miami, Los Angeles, Boston and Montreal, then on to London in March at Sadler’s Wells.
Flamenco Festival Inc. www.flamencofestival.org is produced in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia by Miguel Marin Productions which presents the New York Festival in conjunction with World Music Institute www.worldmusicinstitute.org/flamenco
Online program and newsletter: www.andaluciaflamenco.com
For Andalucia travel information: www.andalucia.org
Inquiries: info@andaluciaflamenco.com
For immediate release
Press Contact: Frank Shiell / Shiell Communications, New York
(212) 242-2204 fshiell@verizon.net
|
|
