ARTISODE Featuring Maria Benitez on KNME
“…When Ms. Benitez has the stage to herself, she swirls and tosses her long hair with such ferocity that you imagine that at any moment she’ll fall into the huge circle of fire. Her dance is raw and headstrong, calming only slightly with the appearance of her rakish Gypsy lover, played by Daniel Peregrino….”
(El Amor Brujo)
“…Benitez strides down the ramp with an enormous train, a vision of elegance and confidence. Two men and four women join her to form geometric patterns as they dance with a grand and impeccable manner…..”
(La Vida Breve) Dallas Morning News
“….A wonderful dance sequence, presented with enthralling passion by choreographer/dancer Maria Benitez and an ensemble of her colleagues, provides further visual intensity…..” (La Vida Breve)……..” magnificently danced by Benitez and splendidly sung by Denyce Graves….” (El Amor bujo)
– Ft. Worth Star-Telegram
“Maria, you are the pride of New Mexico…a most beautiful talent. You will be very much in our thoughts…”
– Pete Domenici, United States Senator
Internationally acclaimed as a performer, choreographer and director, María Benítez is recognized as one of the finest exponents in her field – Spanish dance and all that it embraces. Ms. Benítez is best known for the work of the company she and her husband Cecilio founded and direct – María Benítez Teatro Flamenco. With a long standing reputation for excellence, the company’s history includes performances at festivals and major concert halls in all 50 states, Canada, Germany, Holland, Spain, Austria and 12- week summer seasons in Santa Fe, NM since the early 1970′s.
Ms. Benítez also regularly performs and choreographs for opera. Her first opera experience was performing and choreographing the Santa Fe Opera production of La Vida Breve. With the Metropolitan Opera of New York, she choreographed their production of Carmen in 1987; La Forza del Destino (directed by Giancarlo del Monaco) in 1989; in 1996 the Met’s new production of Carmen (directed by Franco Zeffirelli) and in 1998 the Met’s new production of La Traviata also directed by Franco Zeffirelli. The Met’s Carmen was televised by PBS’s “Great Performances” in the spring of 1997 and María performed in this production in 1997 and 1998 in New York. She has also choreographed and/or performed with the Boston Lyric, Virginia, Dallas, Fort Worth, St. Louis and Austin opera companies and in 1997 choreographed and performed in the Santa Fe Opera production of La Traviata. As a solo artist, Ms. Benítez has performed with the Orchestra of Santa Fe, the New Mexico and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestras.
A native New Mexican, after initial ballet training in the USA, Ms. Benítez traveled to Spain to study and perform. Her basic training was with Mercedes and Albano and Victoria Eugenia in Madrid and she now continues to work with Ciro in Madrid. During her tenure abroad she performed throughout every province of Spain, in North Africa, Portugal and in South America with large national Spanish dance companies and smaller flamenco groups. She also performed numerous times on Spanish TV. After returning to the USA with her husband Cecilio, Ms. Benítez established homes in New York and Santa Fe.
Among many other recognitions, Ms. Benítez has been awarded the New Mexico Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Field of Dance, the City of Santa Fe Mayor’s Arts Award, the Classical Spanish Dance Award from the Institute of Puerto Rico in New York City, the Hospitality Individual of the Year Award, for María’s single-handed boost to tourism in Santa Fe and a golden key to the City of Miami. She received a nomination for the National Medal of Arts, enthusiastically supported by U.S. Senator Pete Domenici; U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson; New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson; and through a joint resolution of the New Mexico House and Senate. María was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Santa Fe Opera.
Ms. Benítez has been featured in her choreography of El amor brujo on national PBS TV’s “Evening at POPS” with the Boston POPS, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet and mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves. Recently Ms. Benitez reunited with Ms. Graves at the Dallas Opera, choreographing and performing in El amor brujo and La vida breve by Spanish Composer Manuel de Falla. Performances ran January 9 – 17, 2004, and photos from these productions can be seen on the Dallas Opera website, www.dallasopera.org.
MARIA’S MOST RECENT WORK AT THE DALLAS OPERA
December 14th, both Cecilio and Maria went to Dallas for one month to work with the Dallas Opera and the renowned opera singer, Denyce Graves in Manuel de Falla’s La Vida Breve and El Amor Brujo. Maria choreographed and performed in both operas. She said, “working with Denyce Graves is a paramount experience for me…a breath of fresh air and what an astounding voice!” It was wonderful to perform these operas once again and be on the same stage with Denyce.” These two operas were first presented by the Dallas Opera in 1994 in which Maria choreographed and performed in both. Johnny Jaramillo and Daniel Peregrino, both New Mexico’s own, also performed in both operas. Both operas were directed by Bliss Hebert and set design by Allen Klein.