From Andalusian rock to Greek tragedy: a journey through time with the Ballet Nacional de España at the Teatro de la Zarzuela

The Ballet Nacional de España (BNE) will present a double bill at the Teatro de la Zarzuela on 11^th July. The programme combines the revival of a classic from the company’s repertoire with a world premiere directly inspired by the roots of Andalusian rock.

The evening will be divided into two contrasting halves. While the second part will be devoted to the revival of Medea, José Granero’s choreographic masterpiece, the programme will open with Flamenco-Rock-Andaluz, a new flamenco suite that redefines the boundaries of the genre.

A bridge between Andalusian rock and the flamenco avant-garde

The origins of this new creation can be traced back to the childhood of Rubén Olmo, director of the Ballet Nacional de España, for whom Andalusian rock formed part of the soundtrack of his youth: “The concept of Andalusian rock emerged from flamenco roots and transferred structures such as the farruca, alegrías and bulerías into the language of rock. That encounter between tradition and modernity inspired me to connect with audiences through a contemporary reinterpretation of this musical legacy, shaping a new creative proposal with an exclusively female artistic identity.”

This conceptual and musical production blends tradition and the avant-garde through the choreography of Rafaela Carrasco, a master at exploring new trends without losing the purity of flamenco’s roots. Her experience and her ability to preserve Andalusian traditions while remaining open to experimenting with new artistic languages make Flamenco-Rock-Andaluz a work that cannot be classified within a single dance style. Instead, it creates its own distinctive language, built through the dialogue between the choreographic direction and the dancers’ bodies: “The movement is created and developed through each encounter. It remains alive because new things happen and emerge every day,” explains the choreographer.

Flamenco-Rock-Andaluz not only creates its own distinctive style, but does so through a broad and cohesive artistic and technical team that operates as a finely tuned mechanism. Carrasco has captured this collective dynamic and used it to shape the choreography: “The concept behind this project is rooted in the strength of the group as an entity. Having them together every day gives everything meaning.”

Music occupies a central place in the production and becomes one of the main driving forces behind the creative process. Ángeles Toledano leads the singing and musical adaptation, transforming historic Andalusian rock lyrics into new textures of electric flamenco that engage in dialogue with the movement and support the choreographic development.

The stage space is brought to life through the lighting design of Gloria Montesinos, one of Spain’s leading female figures in the performing arts, for whom lighting functions as another principal character within a production: “The intention is for the lighting not to serve merely as an accompaniment, but to become a narrative element capable of engaging in dialogue with the music and movement.”

Finally, the costume design is by Belén de la Quintana, who has undertaken meticulous work involving the assemblage and creative recycling of historic garments from the Ballet’s collection, giving them a new life on stage. This process presented an additional challenge: almost all the costumes are black. As the designer explains, “this was the greatest challenge we faced because, in order to bring out the light and prevent the costumes from appearing too dark, we had to use a wide range of textures and materials and reveal a considerable amount of skin”.

The emotional power of storytelling through dance

Medea is one of the finest examples of theatrical flamenco ballet. Miguel Narros’s dramaturgy, based on Seneca’s tragedy, Manolo Sanlúcar’s music and José Granero’s choreography combine to create a harrowing and seamless production: a story of love, betrayal and revenge whose artistic power remains undiminished to this day. Winner of the New York Critics’ Award in 1988, it is possibly the most frequently performed and reinterpreted choreographic work in the history of Spanish dance.

At the heart of the production is José Granero, the Argentine-born Spanish dancer and choreographer regarded as one of the leading figures in the development of new choreographic approaches to Spanish dance. Granero endowed dance with an extraordinary narrative power and theatricality that have kept his creations alive and continue to guide new generations of artists.

The Maestro’s spirit lives on particularly through those who performed his works and now pass his language on to younger dancers. Maribel Gallardo, former principal dancer and current rehearsal director at the Ballet Nacional de España, and Javier Palacios, dancer and choreographic supervisor, are overseeing the preparation of Inmaculada Salomón and Matías López. The BNE’s principal dancer and soloist will embody Medea and Jason in this new interpretation of the iconic choreography, which will be performed at the Teatro de la Zarzuela throughout July.

Each revival, however, offers the opportunity to discover a different version of the work. In approaching Medea, Inmaculada Salomón has sought to let go of the certainties acquired throughout her career as a dancer and confront the character as a tabula rasa, a blank canvas ready to receive the teachings of those who know the choreography in depth. Only after this process of listening and learning does she bring her own sensitivity to the tragic heroine: “To bring a character like Medea to life, I decided to let go of ‘Inma the dancer’, to abandon all those certainties you know work when you dance, and become a sponge capable of absorbing everything I am being taught. Afterwards, I will be able to bring my own self to the work.”

The richness of the character lies in the intensity of her emotional journey. Medea loves, desires, suffers, rebels and takes revenge. She is a betrayed and rejected woman, bewildered by abandonment and driven towards an irreversible decision. “She is an extraordinarily rich character. She experiences every emotion: love, desire, rage, revenge and pain. Everything about her fascinates me because she possesses enormous depth and complexity,” explains Inmaculada Salomón.

Medea, however, cannot be understood without Jason, the man whose betrayal sets the tragedy in motion. Matías López takes on a character of particular significance to him, as it was this very work by José Granero that first awakened his vocation for dance. “Playing Jason is an enormous responsibility. Performing the role now, knowing that I fell in love with dance because of such an iconic work, is daunting. But when you allow everything to flow naturally and surrender yourself to the music, the character and the steps, idyllic moments emerge that are impossible to describe.”

On 11^th, 15^th, 16^th, 17^th, 19^th and 21^st July, Francisco Velasco, first dancer with the Ballet Nacional de España, will also take on the role of Jason, portraying the man whose betrayal determines Medea’s fate. The company will also welcome Currillo in the role of Creon and Lupe Gómez as the Nurse, two essential figures in the dramatic development of the work. Esther Jurado, principal dancer with the BNE, will explore Medea’s emotional complexity on 21^st and 22^nd July.

With this programme, the Ballet’s artistic direction consolidates its commitment to achieving the perfect balance between preserving the choreographic heritage and embracing new trends in contemporary dance.

Programme
FLAMENCO-ROCK-ANDALUZ / MEDEA

Ballet Nacional de España
Teatro de la Zarzuela

Saturday, 11^th July 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, 12^th July 2026, 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, 14^th July 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, 15^th July 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, 16^th July 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, 17^th July 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, 18^th July 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, 19^th July 2026, 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, 21^st July 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, 22^nd July 2026, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets now on sale:
https://entradasinaem.es/espectaculo/ballet-nacional-de-espana--triana-medea/TRIANAMEDEA26