TATO:<\/strong> “For me, the true mission of lighting is to create sensations by coloring the scene and the artist, enhancing their intentions when dancing. I try to reach the point of creating the impression of a museum painting: shadows, flashes, glow, chiaroscuro, penumbra, depth… the impression.”<\/em><\/p>\n INTERVIEWER: Let\u2019s talk about a very powerful tool: the spotlight. That single light that falls from above and completely isolates the artist. In such a collective art form, when do you decide it\u2019s the right moment to \u2018switch off\u2019 the world and leave a singer or dancer in that luminous solitude? What do you want the audience to feel?<\/strong><\/p>\n TATO:<\/strong> “The overhead spotlight \u2014 the magical or secret weapon. It\u2019s the most precise one, though it requires the artist to be well placed (laughs). I say this because in spontaneous moments it can be hard to guess where the artist will be, and that\u2019s something to consider.<\/em> INTERVIEWER:<\/strong> And then there\u2019s backlighting, which is almost a bold move in flamenco. It\u2019s an art form that lives through facial expression, and this technique hides it completely. What power does a silhouette hold for you? At what moments in the show can a shadow tell more than a visible face?<\/strong><\/p>\n TATO:<\/strong> “Backlighting is an ally for creating uncertainty, doubt, provoking fear of the unknown \u2014 the human fear of not seeing the face. But at the same time, it artistically defines the silhouette or the human body, outlining every curve. Visually, it\u2019s special because it draws the human outline. Using it at the beginning, in a brushing step or a pause, and at the end of the dance can be very effective. It also makes possible the artistic or rhythmic progression of the dance.”<\/em><\/p>\n INTERVIEWER:<\/strong> Beyond the white of light and the darkness of shadow, there is color. Red is almost synonymous with flamenco passion. How do you decide to use color? How does your palette shift to accompany the joy of a buler\u00eda versus the solemnity of a sole\u00e1?<\/strong><\/p>\n TATO:<\/strong> “Red \u2014 a classic in the genre. The styles where I use red are sole\u00e1 por buler\u00eda and seguiriyas, and sometimes also sole\u00e1. It simply fits those styles. It\u2019s something synesthetic or ineffable and, at the same time, I don\u2019t really know why. Somehow, I think we associate that color with flamenco almost naturally or unconsciously, maybe because of the rose\u2019s color. INTERVIEWER: If light guides the eyes, sound goes straight to the heart. Onstage there is singing, guitar, palmas, caj\u00f3n, footwork\u2026 a sound universe that could become chaotic. What\u2019s your philosophy to make sure it\u2019s not noise, but a perfectly balanced conversation?<\/strong> INTERVIEWER: You\u2019ve told us a secret: the floor at Cardamomo is mic\u2019d. That kind of obsession with detail is impressive. Why the need to capture the sound of the wood? What are you trying to make us feel with the zapateado, beyond just rhythm?<\/strong> INTERVIEWER: They say a good sound technician sculpts tone like a sculptor with their chisel. Can you give us a practical example? What do you \u201ccut\u201d or \u201cboost\u201d in the sound of a soft guitar passage, or what do you \u201chighlight\u201d or \u201cdeepen\u201d in the broken voice of a singer in a seguiriya?<\/strong> INTERVIEWER: All of this comes to life onstage, where nothing is written. Flamenco is pure improvisation. A singer breaks, a dancer launches into unexpected footwork… You can\u2019t follow a script. How do you experience that tension from the booth? Do you feel like another artist, improvising with them in real time?<\/strong> INTERVIEWER: And that connection with the artists \u2014 how is it built? Is there a plan before each night, are there shared looks during the show, or is it pure intuition developed over many nights of duende?<\/strong> INTERVIEWER: At the end of the night, when the audience erupts in applause for the artists on stage, what tells you that \u201ctonight, the job is done\u201d? What\u2019s your silent applause?<\/strong>
The main function for me is to illuminate the face and torso, giving a sense of levitation or ascension \u2014 as if they were a deity. Using it on its own is the most intimate point you can reach and, as a result, it focuses the audience\u2019s attention to the maximum. Then, of course, comes the color; each frequency is a world in itself.”<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Diego](\"https:\/\/cardamomo.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/21140002\/cardamomo-josue-nerea-cynthia-5001-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
For a sole\u00e1 por buler\u00eda I would use red-blue or red-green, always with some progression, but seeking a strong presence of shadow and penumbra. For alegr\u00eda, the opposite: violet, cyan, turquoise blue\u2026 general vibrancy and high brightness. With sole\u00e1, I also seek penumbra, but with a very warm, shadowy tone \u2014 as if lit by candles or oil lamps, simulating an old house from the early twentieth century.”<\/em><\/p>\n![\"La](\"https:\/\/cardamomo.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/21125554\/nerea-fernandez-2963-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSculpting Sound, Weaving Duende<\/h3>\n
TATO:<\/strong> “The first thing is to have good musicians who can understand each other (laughs). You can\u2019t get good sound without synergy and mutual emphasis. From there, you need good acoustics, then good sound gear, and finally a well-balanced audio mix. Of course, this is not something you can do without understanding the genre\u2014in this case, flamenco. I doubt it can be done with mathematical precision. We aim to enhance the music of the ensemble with sound, sometimes exploring creative ground like changes in reverb or delay. The balance lies in having technical control\u2014starting with the stage and then the P.A. system\u2014along with creativity in tone, dynamics, stereo image, and effects.”<\/em><\/p>\n
TATO:<\/strong> “The architectural acoustics we\u2019d need if we didn\u2019t mic the floor would be like building the pyramids (laughs). What I mean is, when you perform for an audience, the first thing you need is for the floor to be built like an instrument that resonates naturally. Then, we mic that instrument. What I aim for when detailing sound is to simulate what a dancer feels when doing footwork, even using techniques that let us perceive tiny micro-details when listening. That way, you feel it closer.”<\/em><\/p>\n
TATO:<\/strong> “The equalizer is our tool for increasing or reducing the frequencies of each instrument. We could talk about tonal saturation, but that wouldn\u2019t make sense here (laughs). Within the basic quality of live music, we understand that sound can be shaped as if it were a piece of clay. For example, each guitar, voice, artist, venue, sound system\u2014every day is different… The challenge in live sound is knowing what to do at every moment. In general, the first thing we do is fix any audio issues that might arise, and then we try to translate the artist\u2019s tone and qualities in the clearest way possible.”<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Equipo](\"https:\/\/cardamomo.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/21150920\/mesa-de-sonido-cardamomo-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe Musician in the Shadows<\/h3>\n
TATO:<\/strong> “The tension created by that artistic uncertainty is what keeps you alert, and that adrenaline is what makes it fun. I\u2019m not saying the stress it brings is always pleasant (laughs), but being present makes it special and enjoyable.
Of course, I feel like another artist, even though in general our work is neither recognized nor appreciated by default. Mixing sound is a very complex art; I always say that sound can\u2019t be seen with the eyes \u2014 that\u2019s why it\u2019s so abstract. Every time I operate flamenco, I feel responsible for translating emotions into sound, the lines, and the unity among the musicians. You need a form of synesthesia to achieve that. For example, the movement of a dancer or the emotion born at a certain moment in the show can determine how much reverb a voice needs, or how soft or aggressive a given element should be. I believe all these decisions are based either on logic or instinct, depending on how well you understand the genre, the artist, and the moment.”<\/em><\/p>\n
TATO:<\/strong> “It\u2019s built by being clear that duende exists and that it connects us \u2014 that\u2019s essential. However, there also has to be personal experience, training, a background, a style\u2026 But in live performance, anything that isn\u2019t already prepared is ruled by the connection between the mixer and the musician. Just through glances, there\u2019s already a language \u2014 that\u2019s why people say ‘you mix with your eyes’. But all of that is only achieved through developing skills, and that\u2019s done by doing, and doing live shows.”<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Sala](\"https:\/\/cardamomo.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/24112034\/cardamomo_escenario_optimizado-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFinale: The Magic Revealed<\/h3>\n
TATO:<\/strong> “In general, when the audience cheers at the end or even after a final note, that confirms that the show \u2014 or the action \u2014 has reached them. And that already tells us that it worked and that our purpose in this type of business, where the client has to leave satisfied, is fulfilled.
But here\u2019s another angle: that of artistic or disciplinary level. I suppose that, as artists working with music and dance, the more time passes, the more we want to be better at our craft. What I mean is that, if someone comes to see the show and doesn\u2019t have much background, can we say it\u2019s easier to impress them because art is so subjective? What moves one person might not move another. So yes, the show probably always works, but\u2026 can we really rely on audience reaction to know if it was truly art? Or should we listen to and trust our own impression to understand how meaningful it was?”<\/em><\/p>\n