The Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio St.), is thrilled to announce the return of flamenco masters for the 22nd Chicago Flamenco Festival, taking place Feb. 28 – March 23. This multi-week festival, dedicated to the preservation, presentation and celebration of the multi-cultural art form of flamenco, includes an extraordinary lineup, featuring performances by esteemed flamenco artists from Chicago and across the U.S., as well as internationally renowned artists from Spain.
“Since 2002, the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago has brought together the top talent in the world of flamenco for our annual Chicago Flamenco Festival,” said Teresa Hernando, cultural program coordinator for Instituto Cervantes of Chicago. “We have quite the lineup for this year’s festival, and we can’t wait for Chicago audiences to experience it.”
Performances and talks will take place in three different venues: Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio St.), City Winery (1200 W. Randolph St.) and Space Evanston (1245 Chicago Ave.). Tickets range from $15 to $40, with discounts offered to Instituto Cervantes of Chicago members and students. (More information about Spanish language classes at Instituto Cervantes of Chicago is available here.)
Highlights of the 22nd Chicago Flamenco Festival include the Wednesday, Feb. 28 opening night concert at 7 p.m. featuring the Grammy award-winning Spanish flamenco guitarist Antonio Rey at Instituto Cervantes of Chicago, and the March 23 closing night concert at 7 p.m. featuring the famed flamenco dancer Irene “La Chiqui” Lozano at Instituto Cervantes of Chicago.
The full performance schedule is as follows:
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Antonio Rey – “Historias de un flamenco” featuring the Latin Grammy-winning guitarist in a solo preformist of acclaimed compositions plus new works
- Wednesday, Feb. 28 – 7 p.m. (Opening night concert)
- Thursday, Feb. 29 – 7 p.m.
- Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio St.)
- Additional info + Tickets
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María José Llergo – “ULTRABELLEZA” one of Spain’s fastest rising vocalist stars known for her flamenco fusion style
- Sunday, March 3 – 7 p.m.
- Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio St.)
- Additional info + Tickets
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Clinard Dance's Flamenco Quartet Project, showcasing one of Chicago’s most innovative flamenco dance companies
- Monday, March 4 – 7 p.m.
- Space Evanston (1245 Chicago Ave.)
- Additional info + Tickets
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Las Migas, the 2022 Latin Grammy-winning quartet known for their feminine, brave and joyful flamenco vocal and music style
- Wednesday, March 6 – 7 p.m.
- Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio St.)
- Additional info + Tickets
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Amparo Heredia, “La Repompilla” Raquel Heredia, “La Repompa” & Ángel Ruíz, some of flamenco’s best vocal, dance and guitar female artists, unite on stage in honor of Women’s History Month
- Friday, March 8 – 7 p.m.
- Saturday, March 9 – 7 p.m.
- Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio St.)
- Additional info + Tickets
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Antonia Jiménez (guitarist)/composer) & Inma La Carbonera (vocalist) – “A Gaya (To Mother Earth)” a timely tribute to the strength of women and the imporance of Mother Earth
- Sunday, March 10 – 7 p.m.
- Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio St.)
- Additional info + Tickets
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Raúl Cantizano + Los Voluble – “Cordoned Off Zone,” a transmedia prepared guitar concert featuring audio visual remix, sound art, experimental and flamenco music.
- Saturday, March 16 – 7 p.m.
- Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio St.)
- Additional info + Tickets
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Surabhi Ensemble – “The Andalusian Trail to India 2024 with guest artist, Kinan Abou-afach,” a music and dance exploration of the roots of flamenco music and dance with songs from Andalusia, an autonomous community in southern Spain, and beyond
- Monday, March 18 – 7:30 p.m.
- City Winery (1200 W. Randolph St.)
- Additional info + Tickets
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“The Likely Crypto-Lutheran Origins of Flamenco: An Academic Exploration of Links Between Flemish Polyphony and Spanish Flamenco,” a lecture presented by Ricardo Marlow, one of today’s premiere accompanists for flamenco cante y baile.
- Tuesday, March 19 – 6 p.m.
- Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio St.)
- Free and open to the public
- Lecture is conducted in English
- Additional info
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La Chiqui – “Mi esencia,” featuring the 2022 winner of the prestigious Premio Desplante, accompanied by Jose Manuel Alconchel (guitar), Diego Alvarez “El Negro” (percussion), David Carpio (vocalist)
- Friday, March 22 – 7 p.m.
- Saturday, March 23 – 7 p.m. (Closing night concert)
- Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio St.)
- Additional info + Tickets
Since 2002, the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago has organized and hosted the Chicago Flamenco Festival, bringing together the world’s finest Flamenco artists to the city for live performances, workshops, lectures and film screenings. The Chicago Flamenco Festival is presented by the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago, in collaboration with the International Latino Cultural Center, City Winery, Clinard Dance and Ensemble Español.
The festival honors the roots and traditions of flamenco while also embracing modern interpretations of this rich art form that arose from multiculturalism. Hailing from southern Spain's outcast populations, Flamenco dance and music drew early influences from the Greeks and Romans, and later from the folk traditions of Sephardic Jews, Arabs, and Roma peoples from northern India. While nobody knows for certain where the term “flamenco” originated, all agree that the art form began in Spain's Andalusia and Murcia regions, but was also shaped and influenced by musicians and performers in the Caribbean, Latin America, India, North Africa and Europe.
About Instituto Cervantes
Instituto Cervantes is a public not-for-profit institution created by Spain in 1991 to universally promote the teaching, study and use of Spanish and contribute to the dissemination of Hispanic cultures abroad. Reporting to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, it collaborates with prestigious institutions, both national and international, public and private, with the aim of ensuring that products and services related to Spanish are governed by quality criteria and to promote the meeting and exchange of Spanish and pan-Hispanic culture with other cultures of the world.
In its activities, the Instituto Cervantes fundamentally addresses the linguistic and cultural heritage that is common to the countries and peoples of the Spanish-speaking community. It is present in more than 90 cities in 45 countries, through its centers, classrooms and extensions, on five continents. In addition, it has two headquarters in Spain, the headquarters in Madrid and the headquarters in Alcalá de Henares.