Of a total of 72 performances, there will be 52 new productions, 22 world premieres, 24 unique nights and 6 matinee sessions spread across 11 performance venues in the city, finally recovering the Lope de Vega TheaterThe reopening of the Seville stadium is undoubtedly one of the highlights of this new edition, which will shine under the slogan Pearls by the thousands, paying homage to the lyrics of the famous Cartagena song by The Red One, The AlpargateroTwo years ago, they outlined the lineup of shows at the grand festival under the bust of Antonio Mairena as a clear statement of intent and Luis Ybarra He was crowned the new director by crafting a top-tier festival, breaking records. Although, given the new program, the omens are good, and we'll have to resort to the 'olé again' of the previous one to congratulate him, pending the final demonstration during the event. From Mairena's style to flamenco opera. That's the transition from 2024 to 2026, when the centenary of the award ceremony is promised to be celebrated. Golden Key of the Cante a Manuel Vallejo or the 50th anniversary of the death of the brilliant Pepe Marchena.
El flamenco It has many facets. Beyond personal tastes, Ybarra has put together a program where everyone who's there is included. Of course, not everyone who should be there is included. Because there's simply no room! And although you can't please everyone, this critic finds the young director's proposal more than just attractive; it's exciting. He's had a budget of almost two and a half million euros to bring this giant to life, which will resonate with a new theme composed by the guitarist. Pura's Child.
He's done it again. It was inevitable ever since he assaulted our retinas with a simple and direct image by the photojournalist. Emilio Morenatti which features the flamenco singer Aurora Vargas Permeated by the untamed lament that dwells within it. One of the most flamenco-infused posters for the Bienal in recent years. It's no longer about 'nonsense'. And this is also reflected in the handful of artists that make up the newly launched program, whose tickets can now be purchased, sooner than ever, on the festival's website.
The media projection that Jose Merce o Sara Baras –this last one after fourteen years of absence from these stages– have given and continue to give to flamenco It's undeniable. And although for die-hard fans they might not be the most interesting artists on the roster, they're there for the public that applauds them. Like many others in the avant-garde. Not forgetting the masters, and even dusting off some from memory because there are still talented artists with distinct personalities among us, artists whom few remember. Check the roll below. By the way: it was appropriate and appreciated the courtesy of Patricia of the WellThe Minister of Culture of the Andalusian Regional Government expressed her sadness at the death, just a few days ago, of the multifaceted and innovative musician and gypsy from Las Tres Mil, Rafael Amador, member of the legendary group Pata Negra.
Will be on La Maestranza on September 11th and with two more performances in the following days where the flamenco dancer from Cádiz, Sara Baras, will be present InfiniteA tribute to Andalusia will inaugurate the Biennial. For Ybarra, Sara Baras's debut is "a challenge that any major music and theater festival in the world would want to take on; but to achieve that return with a world premiere created exclusively for this Biennial is, for me, the culmination of a shared dream. It's not just another booking: it's an act of mutual trust between the artist and this institution." Prior to the opening ceremony, the bullring will host the gala. The world by the horns, a show where José Mercé, José de la Tomasa, Martyrdom, the Ballet Flamenco Andalusia to Patricia guerrero to the head, Arcángel, La Tremendita, El Perrete, Ángeles Toledano y Manuel de la Tomasa The first bull will be fought in the arena. From then until October 3rd, a succession of "events conceived as unrepeatable moments, created to happen only once with a vocation for exceptionality and under the idea that each proposal is a unique piece, an event resulting from the encounter between artists, spaces and repertoires that are difficult to repeat" will take place, when we talk about those unique nights, in addition to the rest of the shows.
"The Biennial has outlined a program that proposes a journey through that living memory of flamenco"A dialogue between the most recognizable jewels and others less visible, between what shines in the bright light of the stages and what is revealed from the margins or around them, in academies, dressing rooms, media offices, workshops, dance studios and in every gasp of the city, without repeating the past, but revising it from contemporary creation."
The Maestranza will also host the world premiere of Bolero in black and white de Israel Galvan September 26th and unique nights like the one on the 19th, in which the guitarist and National Music Prize winner Juan Manuel Canizares will join the Ross to offer their Cañizares symphonicOr the one on the 20th of the same month, in which José Mercé will present his Sound the alarmAnd the one on the 22nd, when Manuel Linan will once again meet with the Seville public to offer his Dance. On the 24th, Esperanza Fernández, Duquende, José Valencia, Pepe Torres y Nazareth Kings They give us the show Cinnamon and Cloves and on the 28th the flamenco dancer Juan Manuel Fernandez Montoya will star in his acclaimed You'll be FarruquitoThe union of the flamenco singer will take place on October 1st. Marina Heredia with the ROSS in the show Free! The path of the gypsies'and on the 3rd the Festival will close with the work Pearls by the Thousands celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the Anthology of Women in the Cante Carmen Linares, who will be accompanied by Marina Heredia, Maria Terremoto o Raphael Carrasco, Among many others.
After a long period of closure for restoration work, the Lope de Vega It unveils its new look to the public once again as a venue for the Biennial, an irreplaceable stage where unforgettable nights are sure to unfold. The first to grace the stage of this emblematic theater will be Dorants to be presented in world premiere Fractal Arcane September 12th. The teacher Rafael Riqueni y Tim Ries they will bring here Tunisia the 21st and the flamenco dancer david coria will propose his work Babel. Living Tower the September 29. Alfonso Losa He will present his new creation on October 2nd. But the majestic theater will also host memorable, unique nights like the one on the 17th, when Arcángel will show The couplet of canteThe one on the 18th is for Antonio Reyes, who will lock himself away with half a dozen guitarists in Six strings, sixAnd the one on the 25th will creak under the onslaught of Aurora Vargas and the bailaora Juana Amaya starring in the one-on-one Make signs to me with your eyes.The artists will gather on stage on the 27th. Macarena de la Torre, John of Mairena, Lidia Hernández, Rafael de Utrera, Carmen Lozano, Manolo Marin y Ana Maria Bueno en It was your desireThe flamenco singer will take her turn on the 30th. mayte martin interpreting his Archaeology of purity.
Avant-garde stagecraft will return to the timbers of Central Theater Discovering new horizons. Rosario La Tremendita aims to surprise with Less is more September 11th and the 23rd I dare you The idea is called Juan Thomas de la Molia y Agueda Saavedra. Andres Marin will delve into Desert We'll see on the 25th and the 29th The Company, by Sara Jiménez and Co. Sandra Carrasco y David of Arahal they come with Poem of freedom October 2nd. And Joseph Maya presents its national premiere Far September 13th. The 15th is expected to be the only night. Epilogue of a cante which became a dance. Suite of cante, Isabel BayónAnd they complete the lineup for this space A perspective on a sound dance de Olga Pericet on September 21st, together with Maidens (permanent revelry), Estévez y Paños y Cia. the 27.
El Turina SpaceThe best music box in the city will provide the lullaby for guitar recitals as special as world premieres. Requeneando, John Requena September 18th, or the one on The three Marys, Maria Marin The 19th. There will also be unique nights of the Biennial here, such as the one on the 12th, in which canito y Raúl Rodríguez will intervene in The rope in the air, the one on September 13th in which "the new guitar guru" Jose Fermin Fernandez will delight with naked guitar, the one from the 20th with Manuel de la Luz y Manuel Imam delivering their Hands speak, the one on the 25th in which Diego del Morao He'll mess it up. More Purple, or the one from the 27th when Dani de Moron will stage his Box. Plus Antonio Rey on the 11th, counting the Stories of a flamenco y John Medina the 26th to be delivered in Fleeting.
Another common performance setting of the Biennial is the Alameda Theater, in which premieres such as that of Ángeles Toledano will take place. The same blood of the body He will run across the stage on the 12th. And two days later, Macarena López will dance Above all else. Pastora Galvan He will come on the 26th with Tribusssh y The Bud of Jerez y Jose from the Shrimp will surprise The flamencoThey don't go to the barbershopSeptember 22nd is reserved for a unique night for the guitarist. Joselito Acedo and PatioThe 28th for Manuel Cuevas y Miguel de Tena, who will sing By VallejoAnd the one on October 1st will go hand in hand with The Parrilla, with Diego Carrasco placeholder image y Malaga reel bequeathing his Inheritance. Jose from Tomato will be here with Sonanta 3.0 September 16th, the Gala of the Andalusian Youth Circle Flamencos, in collaboration with the IAJ It will be on September 20th and Ezekiel Benitez He will premiere his new album in Seville on the 24th: What nobody sees.
The most flamenco evenings will return to their natural habitat: the Patio del Triana Hotel, one of the most significant spaces of the Biennial. This former tenement building will host three unique nights this year, offering the opportunity to enjoy the canteThe most authentic dance and music. They'll be there on September 17th. Remedios Amaya, Montse Cortes, fabi, Josemi Carmona, Jose Serrano, Israel Gutierrez 'Piranha', Álvaro Llanos y The Cherokee to captivate with Gypsy womenOn the 18th – under the direction of Manuel Curao–, Juan El Distinguido, Itoly de los Palacios, Nene Escalera, Manuel Orta, José Ángel Carmona, Anabel de Vico, Miguel Ortega y Juanelo, with The Mistela to the dance and Child Friar, Juan Requena y Salvador Gutierrez They will quickly form the spectacle Black grapes in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Flamenco Gathering The Well of Sorrows, the peña flamenca the oldest in the province and where the Biennial itself was conceived. The following day, El Boquerón, Carmen de la Jara, Curro Lucena, Jaime “El Parrón”, Joselete de Linares, José Sorroche, Paqui Corpas, El Pecas y Romerito from Jerez, with Eduardo Rebollar y Antonio Carrion They'll be there right away too. Andalusia Through Time.
Once again, the Patio de la Montería of Real Alcazar will offer unforgettable events such as the recital Of gold and ivory in charge of Israel Fernandez September 14th, the world premiere of Whiteboard, new project of Rancapino Chico, on the 15th or the show Jerezanias, a unique night with Luis the Zambo, Dolores Agujetas, Antonio de la Malena, Manuel valencia y The Grandmas from Jerez on the 16th.
"Seville continues to be one of the great beacons of this art, a place where tradition and avant-garde coexist naturally. The Biennial is, therefore, and even from the photograph on its poster, taken by Pulitzer Prize winner Emilio Morenatti, an act of memory and of the present: the celebration of deep roots and ever-open wings, the confirmation that the flamenco It remains a living expression, capable of revealing even that which remains hidden and yet forms an essential part of its truth."
And after hosting the Amalgam Cycle of the Biennale this season, the Royal Factory of Artillery It will offer the premiere of Rhapsody. Fantasy underground de Ana Morales on September 13th and 14th and Trilogy. To the dance de Pablo Martín Caminero Maria Moreno On the 23rd, finalizing the program at the Artillery, the other two chapters of this wonderful Caminero trilogy will take place: Trilogy. At a glance., on September 22nd, and Trilogy. To cante on the 24th with the collaboration of David Carpio.
La Church of Saint Louis of the French It will be the perfect container for small-format flamenco gems. Six unique matinees will be added to the Bienal program, creating a crossroads with the Seville Early Music Festival FEMAS, where he flamenco It is treated as music with a historical character, in which Baroque musicians participate as guests of other musicians. flamencoto add moments of genuine privilege for the attending public. In this sense, on September 12 and 13, Pedro the Granaíno will share his Gold bread with the harpsichordist Daniel Oyarzabal as a guest, on the 19th and 20th Alejandro Hurtado will draw his The evolution of the guitar to Enrique Solinís and the 26th and 27th Incarnate Ring will sow his Flower Path with the lutenist Miguel Rincón.
To conclude this overview of the program, it is worth highlighting the world premiere of Come experience the rhythm flamenco Family to Tirititrán, a children's show that will occupy several morning and afternoon performances on September 11, 12 and 13 in Caixaforum Seville.
This edition of the Biennial is situated at a symbolic moment: it marks a century since the flamenco Flamenco began to consolidate as a performing art after its time in the cafés cantantes, coinciding with the heyday of the so-called Flamenco Opera. It was a time when large venues were filled with cante and dance thanks to legendary figures like The Girl with the CombsManuel Vallejo or Pepe Marchena, already flamenco dancers who carried the flamenco through European scenarios, such as the little argentinian, Vicente Escudero o Pastora EmpireThus, the Biennial has designed a program that proposes a journey through that living memory of flamencoA dialogue between the most recognizable jewels and others less visible, between what shines in the bright lights of the stage and what is revealed from the margins or surrounding areas, in academies, dressing rooms, media offices, workshops, dance studios, and in every corner of the city, without repeating the past, but revisiting it through contemporary creation. And indeed, a century after that theatrical impulse, Seville continues to be one of the great beacons of this art, a place where tradition and avant-garde coexist naturally. The Biennial is, therefore, and even from the photograph on its poster, taken by Pulitzer Prize winner Emilio Morenatti, an act of memory and of the present: the celebration of deep roots and ever-open wings, the confirmation that the flamenco It remains a living expression, capable of revealing also that which remains hidden and yet forms an essential part of its truth.
Following the speeches by Luis Ybarra, Patricia del Pozo and the mayor of Seville Jose Luis SanzThe presentation of the Biennial culminated with the cante Through corridos, romances, and seasonal songs by El Perrete and the improvised dance of Ana María Bueno with her castanets and Andrés Marín, symbolizing the conjunction between the old airs of flamenco opera, tradition, and the avant-garde. ♦
