Releases | New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs

National Hispanic Cultural Center plays host to unique Flamenco performance

April 13th, 2022

Albuquerque, NM – Head to the National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) for a weekend of Flamenco in Albuquerque at the end of the month. On April 29 and 30, Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company with Dallas’s Orchestra of New Spain will debut their new show Quem Quæritis? A Flamenco Drama. 

The first show will begin at 8 p.m. at NHCC’s Albuquerque Journal Theatre (1701 4th St. SW) on Friday, April 29. The second show begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 30. Tickets range from $40 to $70, with a $5 discount for students, seniors, and NHCC members. Visit https://my.nmculture.org/overview/3915 to buy tickets. 

This unique performance sees Yjastros, an 18-member professional flamenco music and dance company based in Albuquerque, join the Orchestra of New Spain, an orchestral ensemble specializing in the early classical music of Spain and the Americas, in an original work of Flamenco theatre.  

Quem Quæritis? A Flamenco Drama immerses audiences in New Mexico’s rich tradition of pastorelas, dramatizing the shepherd Bartolo’s journey and ultimate triumph over doubt and adversity. Alongside Bartolo, played by principal dancer Carlos Menchaca, the audience experiences passion and expression forged in the crucible of art. 

The Orchestra of New Spain’s elegant interpretation of works by Santiago de Murcia and other composers complements this breathtaking display of Flamenco dance and music by Albuquerque’s own Yjastros. Quem Quæritis? A Flamenco Drama features visionary choreography by Joaquín Encinias, Marco Flores, and other artists at the forefront of flamenco and Spanish dance today.  

“So much Spanish music is dance-related that we’ve felt compelled to work with dance whenever possible,” said Orchestra of New Spain Conductor Grover Wilkins III. “It’s brilliant what Joaquin and Vicente Griego put together to bring the pastorela up to modern times.” 

After the performance, get ready for the National Institute of Flamenco’s Festival Flamenco Alburquerque in June, celebrating the 35th anniversary of this landmark event. The Festival, which runs from June 11-18, includes four performances taking place at NHCC. Tickets for those performances are available at https://my.nmculture.org/overview/3915. 

The National Hispanic Cultural Center is dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and advancement of Hispanic culture, arts, and humanities. The NHCC presents mission-related events throughout the year, some produced by its history, literary, performing, and visual arts programs, and others by partnering with external organizations. Events take place at its 20-plus-acre campus, which includes a plaza, an art museum, a historically designated building, a library, and a genealogy center. The NHCC is a division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and is further supported by the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation. 

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Yjastros Poster

A poster promoting Quem Qućritis? A Flamenco Drama

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