Yes, indeed: in Stuttgart They also know how to clap in time. That's what the audience did at Theater House of this German city at the opening of the sixteenth edition of its Festival FlamencoAnd he didn't applaud tepidly, no, but wildly, on the verge of ecstasy, which is where he dragged Manuel Linan to the viewers of Dead in love, the show chosen for the occasion and which has been touring the world for a couple of years now.
Before the performance, the director of the Stuttgart Festival, Catarina Moraand the president of the Spanish Club Stuttgart, Jorge CastillaThey addressed a few words of welcome to the attendees, and also kindly invited Expoflamenco, in the person of this chronicler, to also give a very brief speech on the universal meaning that art jondo It has in our days.
Vi Dead in love for the first time in the Teatro de la Maestranza I saw it in Seville at the last Biennial, and I was deeply impressed by the sheer energy and talent displayed in this production. The sensations I experienced then were amplified this Friday in Stuttgart, just a short while after getting off the plane, given the characteristics of the stage, smaller in this case, and its proximity to the auditorium, which makes you feel literally inside, right alongside the cast.
What Manuel Liñán proposes in his most intimate show is to tell his own story through his love affairs, some happier and some more unfortunateSome more platonic, others more torrid, but without which he wouldn't be the person he is. I remember that on that first occasion I was surprised by the open and honest way in which he shows that passion between men, and I wondered how many flamenco dancers throughout history have had to fake those emotions with a partner Feminine on stage. Something as natural as a hug between two men suddenly becomes revolutionary, although if we see the stir caused on social media by the displays of affection of the Spanish national football team, we will come to the conclusion that there are still many cavemen to be redeemed in our country.
"On that first occasion, I was surprised by the open and honest way in which he shows that passion between men, and I wondered how many flamenco dancers throughout history have had to fake those emotions with an all-female company on stage. Something as natural as an embrace between two men suddenly becomes revolutionary."
En Dead in love There's flesh, there's sensuality and even bawdiness in controlled doses, but above all there's dancing and there's flamencoThis is precisely what Liñán and his formidable dancers were born to do. The sustained intensity throughout the entire performance, the relentless rhythm, and the energy projected from beginning to end, for over an hour and a half, are truly impressive. But the perfect synchronization and vocal quality, added to the top-tier dancing, also contribute to this impressive show, placing it—without the slightest exaggeration—among the best we have seen in recent decades.
At the Theaterhaus in Stuttgart, the last bastion of festivals flamencoGermans, all this was once again evident in such memorable scenes as the passes of Juan Thomas de la Molia before a voyeuristic and pleasure-seeking Liñán; the number of the red bandage with Alberto Selles, of remarkable technical complexity and an absolutely moving effect; or that Mara Rey adding that passionate, melodramatic, Almodóvar-esque touch to round off the work. And in between, a catalog of palos and simply stunning lyrics, which traveled throughout the flamenco world and, if you ask me, also through history.
The new masculinity was this: the right to be who you are. Some may still wonder what Liñán's statement is all about, which, by the way, is entirely personal: I've never seen him wave a flag or speak on behalf of anyone other than himself. But perhaps the public will remember that just a few days ago, during the Pride march in the nation's capital, Berlin, an attack took the life of one person and injured thirty others. All such statements seem superfluous until a madman gets behind the wheel to kill joyful, peaceful people. I at least remembered this fact while watching the euphoria of the audience applauding in unison, and Manuel Liñán's face streaked with tears, which were also ours.
Credits
Dead in love, of Manuel Liñán Company
16rd Festival Flamenco from Stuttgart, Germany.
Theaterhaus Stuttgart
July 31, 2026
Direction and choreography: Manuel Liñán
Dancers: Manuel Liñán, David Acero, José Ángel Capel, Juan Tomás de la Molía, Miguel Ángel Heredia, Ángel Reyes, Alberto Sellés
Cante: John of the Maria
Guitar: Francisco Vinuesa
Violin: Víctor Guadiana.
Percussion: Javier Teruel
