After a prolonged period of closure due to restoration work, the Lope de Vega Theater It reopens its doors to the Seville public and returns to the Bienal for its 24th edition, renewing a historical connection that, for decades, has established it as one of the essential venues for this event and as the setting for some of its most memorable nights. This year, the theater will host nine shows (four world premieres and five unique productions) that will explore the diverse expressions of [the art form/performance]. flamenco, from the cante and the dance, from the music to the instrumental, by artists such as Dorantes, Arcángel, Aurora Vargas, Juana Amaya, Mayte Martín or Rafael Riqueni, among many others.
As the delegate for Tourism and Culture of the Seville City Council has pointed out, Angie Moreno“The reopening of the Lope de Vega Theatre in conjunction with the Biennial represents the recovery of one of Seville’s great cultural hearts and the return to the public of an essential space for engaging with culture and the performing arts. It is wonderful that this theatre is reopening its doors to coincide with the 24th edition of the Biennial.” It reinforces a historical link that is part of the city's cultural memory and consolidates the Lope as a space where tradition and contemporary creation coexist.Reopening this venue is also a political and cultural commitment to combating paralysis and neglect, because investing in public culture strengthens the creative fabric and reaffirms Seville as one of the great cultural capitals of southern Europe.”
The director of the Biennial has also referred to this reunion, Luis Ybarra, who emphasized that “the Lope de Vega is the sentimental epicenter of the Biennial. The festival now returns to the space where it was born, where we have celebrated and learned so much, where we have cried, cheered, said goodbye, and reunited on countless memorable nights. The duality of the heritage and superficial character of the canteThe dance and guitar, as well as the instrumental music, shine on this stage like nowhere else. In the horseshoe-shaped layout of the Lope, audience, artist, and time embrace each other.”
Regarding the program that will take place in this historic setting, the director pointed out that “as in the other venues, an opening ceremony, a closing ceremony, and a whole program have been planned in which to savor four expressions of this culture: the cantethe dance, the playing, and the instrumental aspectsThe pace of ticket sales, especially noticeable in this location, clearly demonstrates the desire to return to the theater. If the flamenco "He opens doors abroad, what won't he do with those at Lope?"
He also elaborated on each of the shows: “It seems that David Dorantes built a new way of understanding the piano several decades ago to open the doors of this small coliseum of the jondo in a few months. Something similar happens with eThe ancestral art of Aurora Vargas alongside Juana Amaya, who were born to sing and dance at that precise momentWe will come to confess to the stark fragility of Riqueni in his dialogue with jazz saxophonist Tim Ries; to the debut of Alfonso Losa, who presents himself with a dance troupe to revisit some of the great milestones of dance; and to David Coria in his delirious Babel. We will also do the same with the Sevillanas performance, the recital by Antonio Reyes accompanied by six guitarists like six head of cattle, the raw sensitivity of Mayte Martín, and the repertoire of Arcángel, who has drunk songs from Pinto, Caracol, and Adela de la Chaqueta to return them in a different way, all together.
The Lope de Vega Theatre's program will begin on September 12 with the world premiere of Arcane fractal, the new proposal of DorantsThe musician from Lebrija, considered an essential figure in the consolidation of the piano flamenco contemporary, will present a format built from the sonic nakedness and the essence of its musical universe, in dialogue only with the palmasFar from broader formations, Dorantes opts in this new creation for an intimate and refined exploration of his artistic language, deeply rooted in the flamenco tradition and open, at the same time, to new sonic explorations.
On September 17th it will be the turn of The couplet of cante, ArchangelA proposal in which the artist from Huelva revisits the close historical link between the flamenco and the copla through a repertoire inspired by fundamental figures of cante of the 20th century, such as Marchena, Caracol, Pepe Pinto, Canalejas, or La Paquera de Jerez. Far from understanding both genres as separate universes, Arcángel champions that tradition of performers who brought the copla to the territory of cante jondo without sacrificing depth, emotion, or flamenco identity. Linked to the Biennial since its inception and considered one of the great voices of flamenco. flamenco In his contemporary style, the flamenco singer proposes a personal journey through that repertoire that lies on the border between song and... flamenco, from admiration and respect for a musical heritage that is an essential part of the popular memory of Andalusia.
"In this edition of the Biennial of Flamenco In Seville, the Lope de Vega Theatre will host nine shows – four world premieres and five unique productions – that will explore the different expressions of flamenco, from the cante and the dance, from the music to the instrumental pieces, thanks to artists like Dorantes, Arcángel, Aurora Vargas, Juana Amaya, Mayte Martín, and Rafael Riqueni."
The following day, September 18, it will arrive at the Lope de Vega Theatre Six strings, sixa unique night starring Antonio Reyes and conceived as a dialogue between the cante and flamenco guitar through six leading guitarists: Rafael Riqueni, Manolo Franco, Diego del Morao, Joni Jiménez, José del Tomate and Nono ReyesDeeply connected to the guitar, the singer from Chiclana presents a unique concert in which he will confront the nuances of his voice with six different ways of understanding and feeling the guitar. Heir to a long flamenco tradition and recognized as one of the most solid and personal voices of the genre. cante Currently, Antonio Reyes turns this encounter into a celebration of the guitar as a space for emotion, accompaniment, and artistic dialogue.
The guitar master Rafael Riqueni and the American saxophonist Tim Ries They will present the world premiere of TunisiaA project conceived as a dialogue between two musicians from seemingly distant sonic universes, yet united by improvisation, artistic exploration, and musical freedom. An absolute icon of contemporary flamenco guitar and possessor of a unique compositional language, Riqueni will share the stage with Tim Ries, a leading figure in international jazz and frequent collaborator with artists such as The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, and Norah Jones. The encounter between these two artists thus proposes an open conversation between flamenco and jazz from a place of sensitivity, experimentation, and mutual respect for their respective musical traditions.
This duo will be followed, on September 25, by another: the one formed by the singer Aurora Vargas and the dancer Juana Amaya, who will meet on the stage of the Lope de Vega with Make signs to me with your eyes.A one-on-one collaboration built on complicity, roots, and flamenco truth. The proposal brings together the cante The deep and poignant voice of Aurora Vargas, one of the most recognizable and authentic voices in the genre, combined with the temperamental and powerful dance of Juana Amaya, heir to a way of understanding the flamenco From strength, instinct, and emotion. Through a dialogue marked by glances, silences, and the connection between the two artists, the performance explores that invisible language that permeates the flamenco and transforms the stage into a space of intimacy, memory, and magic.
Sevillanas will take center stage at the Lope de Vega Theatre on the night of September 27th with It was your desire, a show that will bring together Macarena de la Torre, Juan de Mairena, Lidia Hernández and Fran Fernández, together to the Guest artists: Manolo Marín, Ana María Bueno, Rafael de Utrera and Carmen LozanoThe proposal will showcase, on the same stage, different sensibilities and trajectories linked to flamencoAndalusian song and sevillanas come together in a collective celebration of one of the most popular and representative genres of Sevillian musical culture. From voices deeply rooted in flamenco tradition to those open to other musical languages, the show offers a pluralistic and contemporary perspective on sevillanas as a space for encounter, memory, and shared celebration.
On September 29, the flamenco dancer and choreographer david coria brings to the Lope de Vega Theatre the national premiere of Babel. Living TowerA powerfully contemporary work that uses the biblical myth of the Tower of Babel to reflect on the fractures, languages, and possibilities of communion in today's world. Through an intense and profoundly ritualistic physical language, Coria transforms the body into a space for encounter, resistance, and collective expression in the face of the walls and fragmentation of our time. Considered one of the most singular voices of the 21st-century flamenco avant-garde, the Sevillian artist continues to develop a career marked by choreographic innovation, social commitment, and an openness to new stage codes.
The cantaora Mayte Martín It will be presented on September 30th on these tables. Archaeology of purity, a recital conceived as a vindication of flamenco ancient and of the most essential forms of cante and the guitar. Far removed from contemporary trends and concessions, the Catalan artist offers a journey through classical works and less-traveled repertoires, preserving their aesthetic and emotional depth with absolute respect for tradition. Possessing a singular career and considered one of the most prestigious and distinctive voices of flamenco Currently, Mayte Martín has built an artistic universe marked by sensitivity, musical rigor, and a profoundly intimate view of art. jondo.
The Biennial's program at the Lope de Vega Theatre closes on October 2nd with the world premiere of Minimal gesture, the new creation of the flamenco dancer and choreographer Alfonso LosaA work that reflects on dance as a space for coexistence, connection, and collective construction, placing at its center the idea of a "dancing community" and the body as a place of encounter with the other. Through small, emotionally charged choreographic gestures, the performance explores how movement can generate relationships, sustain shared vulnerability, and open new ways of understanding humanity through the stage. Considered one of the leading figures of the Madrid school of flamenco dance, Alfonso Losa develops in this new piece a contemporary perspective that engages with tradition through choreographic research, attentive listening, and the social dimension of dance. flamenco. ♦
