I first heard the "Sleepwalking Romance" by the celebrated Spanish poet Federico García Lorca in Marianna Verdecia's flamenco rumba masterclasses, performed by Agustina de Cantarote. Captivated by the sound, I also sought out the poem's text online. Lorca's poetry embodies elements characteristic of Surrealism and in particular Symbolism.
For those tired of Hollywood glamour and the occasional shallowness of feeling, I recommend watching something from the old pieces. The musical documentary "Latcho Drom" (1993) by French director of Romani origin Tony Gatlif ("Safe Journey" in Romani). It shows the Romani road through different times and seasons, through several countries and cultures, from India to Spain, passing through Egypt, Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and France. Each stretch of the road is played out and sung, reflecting the distinctive Romani way of life, traditions, the rhythm of existence, crafts and worldview.
At the Almost Theatre Artelis on Monday evening - 22 November at 19:00 - in collaboration with the flamenco dance club Duende, a flamenco evening was held. The venue must be said to be ideal for such an evening - I cannot imagine a better one in Riga. One could enjoy Marianna's nimble dance steps and Agustin's velvety voice timbre.
Sagittarius can be an excellent lover and a rather unbearable husband; he can be a charming friend, direct and open, but his feelings are quite one-sided. In the company of women he nearly loses his head on account of their youth, beauty and feminine charm, and enthusiastically savours the various sensations that representatives of the opposite sex arouse in him. The compliments and flattery he lavishes in moments of enthusiasm are genuinely meant.
The classics are of course good, but everything flows and changes and takes on a new form. So this time I offer ideas for a different, more individualised Advent wreath. In my view, the wreath should not only please the eye, but should have "a soul" - i.e., so you can touch it and feel the rough bark of wood, smell the bitterness of the forest, the sweetness of citrus and cinnamon, and so on.
Long awaited was this festival, for November's cold, damp and dark evenings were crying out for some colourful beam of light. Yesterday evening was reasonably warm and pleasant for a walk, though wrapped in fog and fine drizzle. Riga's centre was overflowing with crowds who seemed to wander haphazardly through the central streets.
There has long been an idea to write about Latgalian mentality - how a čangalis (Latgalian) differs from a čiulis (non-Latgalian Latvian), why they hold so firmly to their language, their land, their roots, traditions. But it's hard to write about things so close, emotional, intimate, and yet very self-evident. It seems that after the play "latgola.lv", viewing Latgalianness from the outside, I can finally try to do so.
In Italy on the table alongside bread and salt, wine is ever-present. But when guests gather, the resounding Salute! rings out above all. The celebration of life. On a Friday evening that same small celebration of life took place right here in Riga at Larisa's independent wine courses. This time - about Piedmont and its wines.
Autumn strikes me as a very laconic month, with no superfluous words, needless movements or stormy expressions of feeling. My mind unexpectedly recalled a Japanese three-line poem read long ago and, for some reason, lodged in memory: "I depart. You remain. Two autumns." /Yosa Buson/ Tonight, as cold autumn rain falls outside the window, I invite you to read some haiku together.
Viewed through the flamenco family tree, tangos originated mainly from the Romani music branch. This accounts for the sharp, accented movements, the strident sound, and the performance's focus on rhythm rather than melodic quality. The song or dance usually begins with clapping in the above-mentioned rhythm and continues throughout the entire performance, accentuating moments of climax and relaxation.