Legendary flamenco guitar maestro Paco Peña will return with friends for an unmissable recital entitled "Esencias" in May.
 
     For this performance, Peña will return to exploring the possibilities of the guitar in relation to flamenco, with the aim of revealing the essence of the art of flamenco. The recital will be staged at 8pm on May 9 (Wednesday) at the Concert Hall of Hong Kong City Hall.
 
     Born in the Andalusian city of Córdoba in Spain, Paco Peña began to play the guitar as a child, at a time when flamenco had no place as a serious and respectable art form. Infusing elements of song, guitar, dance, vocalisation, clapping and finger-snapping, flamenco has developed its own characteristic musical language. This has elevated flamenco to an art form, a subject of serious study and much more than the tourist entertainment it once seemed fated to be. In his long career, Peña has made an important contribution to flamenco, particularly after his move to London in 1966. It was there that, after contributing to popular entertainment, he broke new ground with a flamenco recital at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's South Bank, which was soon followed by greater acceptance at home when he gave a flamenco recital at the Córdoba Conservatory.
 
     Notably, Paco Peña has extended and expanded the art of flamenco guitar from its original role, as an accompaniment to dance and song, to an instrumental form in its own right and the centre of multimedia creations. With his own company he is able to provide not only a full display of formal dance and song, but also to show the characteristic development of solo and guitar ensemble repertoire, which has been partly influenced by some great classical guitarists from Spain. Peña added dramatic elements, with his creations epitomising the music and spirit of Spain.
 
     "Encore Series: Paco Peña and Friends – Esencias" is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Tickets priced at $200, $280, $350 and $420 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_470.html.
 
     A pre-concert talk entitled "Paco Peña and Flamenco" (to be conducted in Cantonese) will be held at 6.45pm in the North Committee Room, 7/F, High Block, Hong Kong City Hall. The speaker will be Chow Fan Fu. Admission is free with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Ends/Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Issued at HKT 12:05

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