WMI and Flamenco Festival New York celebrate the closing night of the 25th Anniversary of the Festival with a special performance that honors the man who introduced flamenco guitar to the global stage from the heart of Manhattan. This tribute concert is a musical homage to the legendary flamenco guitarist Agustín Castellón Campos, known simply as Sabicas, and takes place at the same iconic theater where, in 1959, he made history by performing the first flamenco guitar recital as a solo concert instrument. Until then, the guitar had lived mostly in the shadows, accompanying song and dance; that night it stepped into the spotlight and changed flamenco forever.

Three generations of guitarists — the virtuosic Gerardo Núñez, the Latin Grammy Award-winning Antonio Rey, and rising star Álvaro Martinete — celebrate the living legacy Sabicas created. Joining them will be guest artist Olga Pericet, whose bold, elegant performance evokes the legendary Carmen Amaya, Sabicas’s long-time artistic partner, bringing full circle a moment that shaped the modern history of flamenco.

Born in Pamplona in 1912, Sabicas came to New York in the early 1940s as a refugee from the Spanish Civil War. The city became his creative haven for the following four decades. In a humble apartment shared with his wife, Sabicas crafted a life that resonated powerfully throughout the music world. He recorded an impressive number of albums in the United States, many of which became essential resources for flamenco guitarists across generations. New York offered him the artistic freedom and global audience that Spain, under Franco’s dictatorship, could not provide. In return, he served as a cultural bridge, a guide, and a mentor.

For forty years, he was the welcoming face for flamenco artists arriving in the U.S.—a friend, host, and protector to dancers, singers, and guitarists searching for a foothold in a new land. His home transformed into a vibrant hub of flamenco life, and his influence turned New York into an unexpected epicenter of this art form.

ABOUT WORLD MUSIC INSTITUTE:

Founded in 1985 as a not-for-profit, World Music Institute (WMI) has served as one of the leading presenters of world music and dance within the United States. WMI is committed to presenting the best in traditional and contemporary music and dance from around the world to enrich lives through the arts, promote awareness and appreciation for the world’s rich cultural traditions, and encourage cross-cultural dialogue and exchange. WMI presents at venues throughout the city and depends on both public and private funding to accomplish its mission.

The program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, as well as he Howard Gilman Foundation and The Samuels Foundation.

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