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- Israel Varela 5et, "Dos Fridas", at Monia Jazz Fest in Casale Monferrato (AL), Italy on Jun 23
Israel Varela 5et, "Dos Fridas", at Monia Jazz Fest in Casale Monferrato (AL), Italy on Jun 23
19 June 2026
Frida Kahlo was never alone. Painter and icon, a tortured body and an indomitable spirit, Mexican roots and a universal outlook: her life was a constant negotiation between identities that coexist without ever fully merging. It is from this multiplicity that "Dos Fridas," Israel Varela's new project, is born.
A composer, drummer, and vocalist originally from Tijuana, Varela returns to Kahlo after "Frida en Silencio" (2021) to explore what that album opened: no longer silence as a refuge, but plurality as strength. The reference is "Las Dos Fridas," the large double self-portrait of 1939, hearts exposed and hands clasped, identities divided and inextricably linked.
The project is built around a strong and conscious female presence: Rita Marcotulli on piano, Sarita Schena's voice, and Sara Sanchez's flamenco dance bring to the stage the same multiplicity that Kahlo depicted. Alongside them, Mihalis Kalkanis on double bass.
A quintet that blends jazz, flamenco, and contemporary music to convey, through music and movement, the complexity of a woman who turned her own contradiction into a work of art.
Tuesday, June 23, 9:00 PM
Israel Varela | Drums, Vocals, Compositions
Rita Marcotulli | Piano
Sara Sanchez | Flamenco Dance
Sarita Schena | Vocals
Mihalis Kalkanis | Double Bass
Info and tickets at the link below.
