Seville's 'finest' for flamenco spectacle

Puerto Flamenco 2007 - the dance and music event from the heart of Seville - is hitting Malta for the fourth year running, presenting Seville's "finest" eight artistes in the flamenco troupe's new spectacle Dos Pies, Dos Manos, Una Vida.

Maltese Francesca "Cikka" Grima and Andrej Vujicic are presenting two award-winning male dancers, Antonio Castro and Jesus Herrera, prodigy guitarist Eduardo Trassierra, and the "phenomenal" José "El Tremendo", Tamara Lopez and Joselito Acedo.

The event, part of the Malta Arts Festival 2007, and scheduled for July 27 and 28, is being set in the evocative courtyard of the President's Palace in Valletta - the stage for "an authentic flamenco experience, filled with raw emotion and passion-fuelled virtuosity".

The production, which is being supported by the Spanish Embassy and Torres Wines, boasts sell-out performances at Europe's finest music festivals: Sziget in Budapest, Khamoro in Prague, Spancirfest in Croatia, Dom Omladine in Belgrade, Menandria in Athens, and Iagori in Oslo.

"This year, the group is enhanced by an extra guitarist, a female singer and two male dancers. These are some of the best young, up-and-coming performers in Spain, who have won top awards and participated in important flamenco festivals, namely La Bienal de Sevilla, La Union, El Festival de Jerez and La Perla de Cadiz," said the producers.

"The new guitarist in the group, Eduardo Trassierra, is currently one of the best young soloists, who is going to have a fantastic future career in the flamenco world," they maintained.

The group's unrestrained energy has instigated positive responses from international audiences and reviewers alike, and has been described as "giving out emotion that absolutely flooded the crowded hall".

Puerto Flamenco productions always feature authentic flamenco. "The basis is always the traditional form. This year's programme offers more group numbers that are linked through different rhythms and songs. These are then alternated with solo, raw, improvised interpretations of the dancer's unique style."

Dos Pies, Dos Manos, Una Vida starts at 8.30 p.m., and tickets cost Lm5. They can be purchased online from maltaticket.com, or from Agenda Bookshops, Exotique outlets and News Kiosk in Sliema.