The Spanish Ambassador will open the grand occasion which is one of the many cultural exchange programmes between the countries.
Peña described his Flamenco style of music as, "… similar to the Blues. It has a tinge of sadness, an element of fight and rebellion. It is pain and suffering with explosions of great happiness. It is a symbol of Spain".
He is regarded as one of the world's foremost traditional Flamenco guitarists. However, his rise was not any easy one as he came from a poor background as one of nine children. His mother had a vegetable stall in the market place and his family shared a house with 10 other families.
There was never any money for lessons so Peña learned from a friend who played in the market square.
"He was learning bits from his teacher and I was learning bits from him. You try to absorb what you can," he said.
After moving to London to become a soloist, he found himself sharing the stage with the likes of Jimi Hendrix.
To date, Peña has taken Flamenco into the realm of music-theatre with regular seasons in London and festival appearances in Edinburgh, Adelaide, Amsterdam, Athens, Israel, Istanbul, Singapore and Hong Kong. He also founded the world's first university course for Flamenco guitar at the Rotterdam Conservatory of Music.
Post published in: Entertainment