About Barcelona

Opera y Flamenco

Opera y Flamenco is a special production in which the Flamenco Art, impassioned style of music and dance, native from Andalusia, that forms part of the culture of Spain, is mixed with popular Opera and Zarzuela (Spanish Operetta) Arias. The beauty of lyrical singing with famous Arias like the “Habanera” from George Bizet’s “Carmen”, the seduction of the Gitano dance and music with Popular Flamenco’s “Fandangos” or “Seguidillas” together  with the charm of Spanish Operetta with the aria “No puede ser” from Pablo Sorozabal’s Zarzuela “La Tabernera de Puerto” makes this festival of music a memorable fusion to express human emotions.
The show is centered on a tormented love story which is explained through the souls of the dancers and the voices of the tenor and the soprano, that explain what the protagonists live, combining the strength and melody of the opera with the sensual passionate choreography of flamenco.
The show is on stage in Barcelona since 2004 in the prestigious Teatro Poliorama and the Palau de la Musica Catalana and has also gained critical acclaim in international theaters as  the Auditorium Parco Della Musica in Roma, the Teatro Verdi in Firenze or the Teatro Pavarotti in Modena.
The cast, which has been kept for the past five years, includes outstanding figures of both dance and opera such as Tenor Oscar Marin, who has accompanied the great soprano Montserrat Caballe, well known dancers Katia Moro and Ivan Alcala, and Flamenco singer Sara Flores, from the tradition of Carmen Amaya´s family, with Musical Opera direction by David Granato and Musical Flamenco direction by Juan Cortés with the Barcelona Opera Orchestra and the Flamenco Ensamble “El Duende”.
The show will be on stage this fall in Barcelona till November 30. To see specific dates and theaters please visit the operaflamenco website.
 

Ballet Giselle in Barcelona

Fall is time for Ballet in Barcelona.
For the first time at the Gran Teatre de Liceu de Barcelona from November 6 to 15 will be on stage Giselle, ballet in two acts with  libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier, and music by Adolphe Adam (with musical arrangements from David Coleman) in this new choreography by Dawson and costumes by leading dancer of the group Yumiko Takeshima.
Giselle is a story about fate, love, despair, madness, death and sacrifice that Dawson passes through the filter of his unmistakable style to a timeless story of love.
The Dresden Semperoper Ballet first made a name time during the 1920s under the direction of Ellen Cleve - Petz. After the theater was destroyed on February 1945, the ballet career seemed ended, but however they could continue to work classical and romantic tradition and with a strong commitment to the production of new works.  In 1985 the work could continue in the restored SemperOper with several renowned choreographers including works by Harald Wandtke, Oleg Vinogradov and Konstantin Russu, among others. From 1993 to 2006, Vladimir Derevianko was artistic director of Ballet Dresden and worked with great choreographers. Aaron S. Watkin was appointed artistic director with David Dawson as resident choreographer from the 06/07 season.
David Dawson (Born in London) Resident Choreographer of the Dresden Semperoper Ballett, is considered one of the biggest names in European dance today and his creations have been included by different companies including Boston Ballet, Dresden Semperoper Ballet, English National Ballet, Het Nationale Ballet (Netherlands National Ballet), and many other important European companies.
 David Dawson was formed in the Rona Hart School of Dance, Arts Educational School and the Royal Ballet School. He graduated in 1991 and after joined the Birmingham Royal Ballet, the National Ballet Español in 1994 and in 1995 became a member of the Het Nationale Ballet (Netherlands National Ballet). Dawson received from Wayne Eagling his first professional choreographic commission, Psychic Whack in 1999 for the Ballet Holland National. Since then many other ballets have been created by him and among others his first world premiere choreographed narrative: Giselle in 2008.

Ballet Carmen

Antonio Gades Ballet Company at the Liceu, April 2007

4 opportunities to see in Barcelona the particular version of the ballet Carmen, directly inspired in Merimée’s tale, with the choreography made by Antonio Gades in the 80’s with music form George Bizet and Paco de Lucía, first presented to the public at the Théâtre de Paris in 1983, starring Cristina Hoyos and Gades himself.
Antonio Gades, who died in 2004, was a Spanish flamenco dancer and choreographer that contributed to popularize the flamenco art on the international stage. He also collaborated closely with the Spanish director Carlos Saura on the filming of his adaptations of the mentioned Prosper Merimée's Carmen, Federico García Lorca's Bodas de Sangre, as well as a Manuel de Falla's ballet El Amor Brujo.
The Compañia Antonio Gades has recently been refunded and presents this ballet in Barcelona without pause with an approximate running time of 1 hours and 20 minute the days April 14, 15, 18 and 20.  Photography: Paco Manzano ©