This month's sightreading handout* is from a Spanish ballet about an Andalusian gypsy woman named Candela who is haunted by the ghost of her dead, unfaithful husband from an arranged marriage. His ghost wakes her every night and demands they dance (it is a ballet after all). That gets old quickly, so Candela (whose very name is associated with flame) gets help from other gypsy women who suggest a ritual cleansing by fire to get rid of the ghost. The idea is that once the ghost is enticed to dance again with her, she can lead him closer and closer into the flames until he is consumed while she jumps away.
That theory didn't exactly work for Candela (so don't try this at home this Halloween) but it did work for our composer, whose music made this dance the most memorable part of the ballet. If you need more hints, he was a famous contemporary of Isaac Albéniz, Francisco Tárrega, and Enrique Granados.
For sightreading, this exercise has been simplified a bit and slowed down, making it quite doable in first position. But you still get to experience the frenzy as it builds to the climax where the ghost appears to collapse. So do try this (sightread) at home!