BWW Exclusive: Producer Jeffrey Eckstein on FLAMENCO SEPHARDIT

There may be quite a few ideas and institutions that bond mankind around the world, but there's one that's more powerful than the rest. It's not politics. It's not religion. It's music.

That seems to be the belief of Executive Producer Jeffrey Eckstein, who brings Flamenco Sephardit to Texas this weekend. The concert event, which fuses classical music with Flamenco with Jewish Ladino traditions of Spain, plays San Antonio's Arneson River Theatre on Friday September 19th and Austin's Paramount Theatre on Sunday, September 21st.

Ladino music is a somewhat unknown tradition. During the Spanish Inquisition, Sephardic Jews secretly passed down their music from generation to generation. Similarly, Spanish Gypsies did the same with Flamenco music.

In addition to serving as the show's producer, Eckstein also conceived the project. When asked what drew him to a fusion of Classical, Flamenco, and Ladino, Eckstein explained that a trip to Barcelona inspired the piece. The show, which features a celebration of Spanish and Jewish traditions thru music and dance, premiered in Miami this past January to rave reviews from critics and audiences.

In an interview with the Miami Herald, Eckstein explained that while Flamenco and Ladino may seem like an odd pairing, they share several similarities. "Flamenco and Ladino music really do come from the same place," says Eckstein. "If you listen to Flamenco pieces and then to Ladino pieces, they remind you of one another."

The production features a 9 person ensemble of musicians and dancers, some of which have Spanish roots. The show's two guitarists, Paco Fonta and Michel Gonzalez, are both from Spain. The cast also features a cellist and a violinist, 2 singers, 3 dancers, and 1 percussion. One of the singers, Audrey Babcock, has released an album of Ladino music.

For Eckstein, bringing together a multicultural group of artists has created a truly collaborative piece that celebrates long secret musical traditions.

For more information on Flamenco Sephardit, please visit www.flamencosephardit.com