The International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago wraps up one of its busiest years with a series of dance, film and music events as they begin preparations for the 41st Chicago Latino Film Festival to be held April 3-14, 2025.
Without a doubt, the highlight of ILCC’s November programming is acclaimed fado singer Carminho’s concert at the City Winery on Wednesday, November 20, where she will be presenting her new EP, Carminho at Electrical Audio, co-produced and engineered by Steve Albini in his Chicago studio, Electrical Audio, before he passed away early this year.
A second highlight is the Chicago debut of flamenco dancer Sonia Franco also at the City Winery on Tuesday November 12. Speaking of flamenco, the award-winning women ensemble Las Migas, whose new album Rumberas was just nominated for Latin Grammy for Best Flamenco Album, will be performing at the Old Town School of Folk Music on Friday, November 15, the day after the Latin Grammy ceremony.
EVENTS IN NOVEMBER
SONIA FRANCO PRESENTS SER.RANA
Co-produced with City Winery
Tuesday, November 12
Doors open at 6 pm; show starts at 7:30 pm
Where: City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St.
Admission: $30-$48 ($24-$38 ILCC members)
CHICAGO DEBUT!
Sonia Franco, who also goes by the artistic name of Sonia Libre, is a dancer, choreographer, and actress who has graced stages worldwide with her exceptional talent. She is a pivotal member of Sara Baras’ dance company, notably performing in the enthralling show “Sombras” during its extensive world tour. Her remarkable journey also includes being a part of María Pagés’ dance company, where she contributed to the world tour of the mesmerizing shows “Yo Carmen” and “7 Golpes y un Camino,” performing at prestigious venues from Montmarsall to Tokyo and beyond, including the Jerez Festival, Singapore, and the Seville Biennial. In 2017, Sonia made her film debut, working with the legendary director Terry Gilliam in the film The Man Who Wanted to Kill Don Quixote.
With her new creation, Ser.Rana, Franco brings to audiences an experience that transforms the art of movement and sets dance free. It is like a body of water which cannot be contained, like an unceasing continuous flow of a river that is inside you and transforms your body through flamenco while you traverse impossible scenarios, which, akin to frogs, lose themselves when they are outside their pond. Franco is joined on stage by some of Spain’s most coveted musicians. The original music, composed for this flamenco journey, together with the minimalist aesthetic of dance, creates a close connection between artist and audience. The performance will last 75 minutes without intermission.
Co-produced with the Old Town School of Folk Music
Friday, November 15 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave
Admission: $36-$45
Las Migas return to our city after their sold-out Chicago debut at the Instituto Cervantes in March. Las Migas first exploded on the flamenco scene 20 years ago in Barcelona as a singularly unique, all-female and multinational quartet in an extremely male-dominated and insular genre. They have challenged stereotypes and flamenco traditions with astounding success over their long career and have evolved into a powerhouse of Flamenco fusion that has earned them many awards including a Latin Grammy nomination followed by a Latin Grammy award in 2022 for Libres. They will be performing tracks from their latest recording, Rumberas, a tribute to rumba in all its varieties: Catalan, Cuban, flamenco rumba, along with some of their greatest hits. The current line-up, all hailing from different regions of Spain, include vocalist Carolina “La Chispa,” guitarists Marta Robles and Alicia Grillo, violinist Laura Pacios and special guest bassist Oriol Riart Laborda.
In partnership with City Winery
When: Wednesday, November 20; doors open at 6 pm, show starts at 7:30pm
Where: City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St.
Admission: $35-$65
Daughter of the renowned fado singer Teresa Siqueira, Maria do Carmo Carvalho Rebelo de Andrade, better known as Carminho, made her debut singing in public at the age of twelve at the Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon. Fado, her first album, was named the best album of 2011 by the British magazine Songlines, and led Carminho to perform at Womex 2011 and at UNESCO’s Paris headquarters as part of Fado’s application for world heritage status. In 2012, she released her second album Alma with which she toured all over Europe. The album led her to fulfill her dream of recording with Brazilian legends Milton Nascimento, Chico Buarque and Nana Caymmi. Her relationship with Brazil runs deeper in her next album, Canto (2014) featuring Caetano Veloso, his youngest son Tom, Marisa Monte and Arnaldo Antunes.
This concert is the first stop of Carminho’s USA tour in November 2024 to support the release of a new EP, Carminho at Electrical Audio. The EP is especially significant to Chicago, since it was co-produced and engineered by the Legendary Steve Albini in his Chicago studio, Electrical Audio. Steve unfortunately passed away in May this year, and Carminho has released this EP as a celebration of his virtuosity and professionalism. Steve is known for his work with some of the finest musicians including Nirvana, Page & Plant, and The Pixies, among others. The record will be released on Nonesuch/Warner Records, and will be available in October on all Digital Audio formats. The EP includes a duet with the iconic Brazilian artist Caetano Veloso. An Audiophile Vinyl record will also be released simultaneously.
Sunday, November 24
Doors open at 6 pm; show starts at 7 pm
Where: Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S. Ashland Ave.
Admission: $30 ($25 ILCC members)
To music lovers and critics in Brazil, André Mehmari is a musical wonder and a source of national pride. To the ear, imagine a meeting of Mozart and Keith Jarrett in Brazil: Mozart for the intensity of his creation, Jarrett for his relationship to improvisation at the modern piano. His standards, however, are the compositions that comprise what he calls “The Great Brazilian Songbook,” works written at the same time that the Great American Songbook was created, and equally rich in lyricism and sublimity.
All of the world’s songbooks and literature are his realm, a borderless inspiration expressed in his compositions and improvisations. The latter takes special form in his solo piano performances where he invites the audience to give him suggestions which, in the moment, he spins into an improvised suite. He invites you to come to the concert with the music you love and offer it for the creation of these one-time-only but forever memorable creations. Come hear one of the greatest musical minds of our time.
THE REEL FILM CLUB: ITZIA, TANGO & CACAO
Tuesday, November 26
Reception at 6 pm; screening starts at 7 pm
Where: Instituto Cervantes, 31 W. Ohio St.
Admission: $20 ($15 ILCC members)
Start your Thanksgiving celebration with us with this touching film from Colombia directed by that country’s television and film superstar Flora Martínez.
As a small child, Itzia would accompany her father, a bandoneon player, to all his tango concerts. Born deaf and mute, she could feel his music. But fate separated them and now, years later, Itzia (played as an adult by director Martínez), works in the cocoa farms of the village she has called home with her adopted father. Then, one day, she “hears” the sound of the bandoneon calling her from far away. No one believes her and in fact some are sure she is losing her mind. But Itzia cannot ignore the sound of music.
The Reel Feel Club celebrates a theme night with a reception and film showing showcasing films and filmmakers from around Latin America followed by a post-screening discussion.The RFC takes place every last Tuesday of the month between May through February.
ABOUT THE ILCC
The International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago is a pan-Latino, nonprofit, multidisciplinary arts organization dedicated to developing, promoting, and increasing awareness of Latino cultures among Latinos and other communities by presenting a wide variety of art forms and education including film, music, dance, visual arts, comedy, theater and culinary arts. The Center prides itself for its outstanding multidisciplinary local and international cultural programming which spans Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and the United States.
Born out of the Chicago Latino Film Festival, The International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago also produces other programs, including the Chicago Latino Music Series, which is celebrating its 18th edition this year; Film in the Parks, also in its 18th season; the monthly Reel Film Club, already in its 16th year; and many others.
All in all, the audience has grown from 500 people in 1985 for the first Chicago Latino Film Festival to more than 70,000 (Latinos and non-Latinos) who enjoy the year-round multidisciplinary cross-cultural exchanges offered by the Center.
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