Japan will host Ballet Nacional de España’s first international tour of the 2024-25 season

On Sunday, November 17^th, Ballet Nacional de España begins its first international tour of the season in the Japanese city of Toyama. This is Rubén Olmo's first tour in the country as director of the company.

The BNE will perform Generaciones and Invocación, mixed programmes showcasing the different styles of Spanish dance through the choreographies of several generations of creators. This selection reflects the determination of the director of Ballet Nacional de España to recover the classics of Spain's choreographic heritage without losing sight of new trends.

Generaciones can be seen in the four locations of the tour: Toyama, Tokyo, Nagoya and Hyogo Prefecture. The show includes Ritmos, Pastorela, Jacaranda (the last two of which will alternate night by night), Zapatado by Sarasate, Bolero by José Granero and Grito.

Alberto Lorca’s Ritmos is one of the most popular Spanish classics among dancers. Dedicated to Encarnación López, "La Argentinita", this plotless choreography perfectly combines dance, music, lighting, and costumes. Pastorela, by Antonio Ruz, with music by Manuel Blasco Nebra, is a solo where dancer Inmaculada Salomón navigates, without prejudice, between the bolero school, stylised dance, and contemporary dance. Jacaranda, by Rubén Olmo, is another solo, created especially for Débora Martínez and inspired by the symbiosis between the essence of nature and that of women, with music by Alberto Ginastera. Sarasate's Zapateado has been one of the jewels of Antonio el Bailarín's repertoire since its première in 1946. The tap dance influence evident in his technique makes it a virtuoso example of stylised flamenco. The fourth piece on the program, Bolero, was choreographed by José Granero to Ravel's famous composition and combines the purest classical Spanish style with the essence of flamenco dance. Grito is Antonio Canales' masterpiece, a flamenco suite in which the choreographer explores different flamenco styles: seguiriyas, soleá, alegrías, tientos and tangos.

Invocación, which will première in Tokyo only, "is a very complete programme in which you can enjoy a kind of flamenco full of power and vitality, a ballet of the purest stylised dance and one of the few recent choreographies of the bolero school," in the words of the BNE director.

The show begins with Invocación Bolera, an updated version of the style presented by Rubén Olmo, with musical creations by Manuel Busto and castanet work by Maribel Gallardo. Following that is Jauleña, a solo by Rubén Olmo inspired by Granada in which granaína and zapateado take centre stage. The music for Jauleña is also by Manuel Busto. To conclude the first part of the programme, the company dresses in the tones of the earth and sea designed by Yaiza Pinillos to perform the stylised dance Eterna Iberia, choreographed by Antonio Najarro and with music by Manuel Moreno-Buendía.

After the interval, Ballet Nacional de España’s group of cantaores and musicians join the dancers on stage to pay tribute to one of the dancers and choreographers who revitalised flamenco dance in Andalusia, Mario Maya (1937-2008). De lo flamenco. Homenaje a Mario Maya is a flamenco suite composed of seven movements that reflects Maya's innovative style. On top of the original set list, the BNE production adds two new choreographies by two of Mario Maya's regular collaborators: Rafaela Carrasco and Isabel Bayón, who have created Romance del emplazado and Taranto, respectively.

Cities on BNE’s tour:

TOYAMA
 17^th November 2024
 Aubade Hall
 GENERACIONES

TOKYO
20^th-24^th November 2024
 Bunka Kaikan Hall
 GENERACIONES
 INVOCACIÓN

NAGOYA
 27^th November 2024
 Forest Hall
 GENERACIONES
  

HYOGO
 29^th November 2024
 Performing Arts Center Kobelco Hall
 GENERACIONES

PROGRAMME:

Ballet Nacional de España
Artistic director: Rubén Olmo

GENERACIONES

RITMOS (every day)
 Choreography: Alberto Lorca

PASTORELA (Toyama on 17^th November, Tokyo on 21^st November, Nagoya on 27^th November)
 Choreography: Antonio Ruz
 Piano: José Luis Franco

JACARANDA (Tokyo on 20^th and 22^nd November, Hyogo on 29^th November)
Choreography: Rubén Olmo
 Piano: José Luis Franco

ZAPATEADO (every day)
 Choreography: Antonio Ruiz Soler

BOLERO (every day)
 Choreography: José Granero

GRITO (every day)
 Choreography: Antonio Canales

Guest artists
 Mónica Fernández
 Pol Vaquero

Special collaboration
 Juan José Jaén “El Junco”

Flamenco musicians of the BNE

INVOCACIÓN
(Tokyo on 23^rd and 24^th November)

INVOCACIÓN BOLERA
 Choreography: Rubén Olmo

JAULEÑA
 Choreography: Rubén Olmo

ETERNA IBERIA
 Choreography: Antonio Najarro

DE LO FLAMENCO
 Choreography: Mario Maya, Isabel Bayón, Rafaela Carrasco

Flamenco musicians of the BNE