Chicago Flamenco Festival Kick-Off

The 15th Chicago Flamenco Festival is presented by the Instituto Cervantes, City Winery Chicago, Old Town School of Folk Music and the Flamenco Arts Center. This year’s extended, 5-week festival kicks off with an evening of music and dance featuring the shared cultural history of medieval Andalusia to the present by members of the ensemble Surabhi (founded by Saraswathi Ranganathan). The performance will include original and traditional repertoire with Spanish guitar, Arabo-Andalusian poetry, music by Ronnie Malley on oud and harmonium as well as Rajasthani folk dance by Kinnari Vora and flamenco and Mid-Eastern dance by Marisela Tapia. The evening will also feature Saraswathi Ranganathan (veena), Carlo Basile (guitar), Dhananjay Kunte (tabla), Diego Alonso (guitar), Greg Nergaard (bass), and Bob Garrett (percussion).