In his first cinema visit, the film was Superman. The boy from Badalona, watching from a small black and white set with windows opening to the neighborhood, wasn’t struck by the cape-wearing savior. He was captivated by the city he saw from above, a city called New York.
Within that dim theater, a doorway opened to other lives and places, and to a world without borders. A lasting passion for New York began to glow, and years later the city would leave a lasting mark on his skin as well, with the skyline inked across his forearm. It would seem that what people say about New York rings true, and this week the city found a Canadian reflection in the same spotlight.
a miraculous effort
Two years after the pandemic delay, Poveda stepped onto a New York stage. It marked the 20th edition of the Flamenco Festival, a rendezvous designed and curated by Miguel Marín. What began as a local project grew into a sweeping presence across the United States, fueled by two decades of unwavering dedication. The achievement felt titanic and, at times, almost miraculous.
Poveda returned to Skirball, the NYU venue that reopened after shutdowns, for a concert that also celebrated a 25th anniversary. The King Juan Carlos I Center at NYU, dedicated to promoting Spanish language and culture, provided a fitting backdrop. The mood was celebratory, the wishes numerous, and a gathering of gifted performers delivered a remarkable recital.
luxury on stage
From the outset, Poveda hinted at a streamlining of the night, suggesting that ugliness and negativity would be left behind. He aimed to invite the audience into a brighter, more buoyant atmosphere at Skirball. He was accompanied by a stellar cast: teacher Joan Albert Amargós on piano, Jesús Guerrero on guitar, Paquito González on percussion, and the duo El Grilo and El London contributing hands and cante, the latter also revealing his prowess in singing. Flamenco dancer Antonio Molina, known as El Choro, moved with the rhythm, adding a visual grandeur to the performance.
Poveda took center stage as both singer and songwriter, blending voice with storytelling, control with passion. The concert carried a climate of urgent awareness, echoing themes found in the activist and cultural strands of his youth. The performance became a vessel for Federico García Lorca’s nostalgia, while daringly threading Frank Sinatra’s iconic New York, New York through bulerías. The show’s multimedia elements helped create warmth on a cold, rainy night, featuring siguiriyas, soleás, malagueñas, guajira, alegrías, tangos and more.
Poveda’s schedule includes Flamenco Festival stops in Miami and Los Angeles, before continuing his tour across Spain. Before long, a second New York show that week offered another chance to leave a lasting imprint on the city with ink and voice alike.
[Citation: Flamenco Festival organizers and NYU cultural programs report on the event and its milestones. Attribution: Festival materials]