Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana
Carpenter Performing Arts Center6200 Atherton St., Los Angeles 90815
Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana performs Quinto Elemento, an evening-length work choreographed by Patricia Guerrero. Francis Gómez’s original score is performed live.
The company is one of the nation’s most prominent flamenco and Spanish dance companies. Co-founder Carlota Santana has directed more than 20 original works and commissioned artists from Spain and the United States, advancing flamenco as a living art form and part of Hispanic heritage. Dance Magazine called her “The Keeper of Flamenco.”
Named for pop duo and alumni Karen and Richard Carpenter, this 1,054-seat concert hall pairs the acoustics and sightlines of a premier civic theater with the welcoming ease of a campus arts hub. Visitors arrive early through a curved glass facade to browse a permanent lobby showcase of original instruments, gold records, and memorabilia before taking reserved tiered seats. The stage accommodates everything from touring jazz ensembles and symphonies to Broadway musicals by resident company Musical Theatre West, along with an occasional cabaret setup where small tables and chairs move directly onto the stage floor behind the main curtain. Light refreshments and beverages are available in the lobby to enjoy before showtime, and while the focused, listening-room atmosphere commands rapt attention throughout performances, the surrounding East Long Beach neighborhood offers plenty of casual dining just off the freeway.