Operación Tamarindo
world premiere, LA Phil commission
At-A-Glance
Length: c. 15 minutes
About this Piece
Spicy tamarind candy-making is almost an adventure inside the big candy factory: Tamarind is boiled in water and then strained to get the flavor. In a different room, glucose is mixed with some water to get candy: The candy is stretched, compressed, slapped, and elongated before it is mixed with the rich acidic flavor of the tamarind and guajillo chili powder. The result is a delicious hot candy whose process inspires melting sounds and spicy rhythms. —Francisco Cortés-Álvarez