Sarasota's Ringling International Arts Festival

Los Hermanos Macana, RIAF

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 Just back from an amazing experience at the Ringling International Arts Festival (RIAF) in Sarasota where a charismatic Argentinean songstress, two wiry tango dancing brothers and a madcap version of Hamlet brought me to my feet.

This was the third year of the RIAF (in conjunction with New York's Baryshnikov Arts Center) and I’m happy to say I’ve devotedly attended from the beginning. Lucky me! From October 11-16 the landscape of the Ringling Estate was buzzing with extraordinary performances. For the most part, I’ve never heard of the individuals who grace the stages here. And that’s the beauty of the experience. The festival is a vehicle for illuminating international voice, dance, music and drama. All is brought to the forefront across unforgettable jam-packed days.

I traversed between the majestic Historic Asolo Theater to the Mertz and the cozy Cook. These theaters are not only breathtakingly beautiful with unmatched architectural detailing, but they are acoustic wonders.  Being a lover of Shakespeare, I adored the Wooster Group’s version of Hamlet, where the actors ingeniously merged on-stage with the 1964 black and white film of the Broadway play with Richard Burton and his honey-tongued soliloquies. The juxtaposition of the skilled Wooster Group (kudos to Scott Shepherd and all) was spellbinding. After yelling 'Bravo!' as the curtain closed on Hamlet, I next found myself absorbed by the modern movements of the Company of Stefanie Batten Bland and Terra Firma, where uplifting choreography and stagecraft swept me away.

I was awestruck by the string quartet known as Brooklyn Rider and I was transported to an intimate jazz club the moment Meklit Hadero counted off her first tune. But it was the  evening performance of Soledad Villamil, Canto Tangos and Los Hermanos Macana (the witty brothers) that made me want to book a flight to Buenos Aires. The sultry singer’s love ballads, the sweet banter with the musicians and the delightful tango dance team of Guillermo and Enrique De Fazio, brought down the house. The De Fazio brothers performed the tango 1940s/50s style with the two men paired as a couple. Their appearance with slicked back hair, meticulous suits and wide-eyed grins was coupled with fast and fancy footwork. I was not alone in wanting more.

I called the lovely Ritz-Carlton Sarasota my home. Insider’s tip: it is conveniently located and just a quick drive to the Ringling Estate. As for the Ringling property, it’s one my favorite places. The Ca' d'Zan Mansion, the former home of circus impresario and tycoon John RIngling and his wife Mable, is always magical, as is the sunset on Sarasota Bay.

I'm already planning to attend RIAF 2012 and year number four. Join me!

Tags: Ca' d'Zan Mansion | Historic Asolo Theater | RIAF | Ringling International Arts Festival | Sarasota | The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art