Rome, the next stop on Afanador’s tour

Afanador will be the work chosen to open the 40th edition of the Romaeuropa Festival, a major event featuring works by leading national and international figures in music, dance and theatre.

The Ballet Nacional de España’s major production will arrive at the emblematic Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, also known as Teatro Costanzi.

Thousands of spectators have already had the chance to enjoy this thrilling show by the Ballet Nacional de España. In this new 2025/26 season, Afanador will travel to stages in Austria, St. Pölten; Belgium, Bruges; France, Grenoble, Cannes, Aix-en-Provence and Paris; Germany, Ludwigsburg; and Spain, Santander and Pamplona.

Afanador reveals photographer Ruven Afanador’s surrealist vision of flamenco through the language of dance, inviting audiences to discover a universe built from fascination and desire. The Colombian artist’s acclaimed works Ángel Gitano and Mil Besos are the starting point for this show, in which Spanish dance joins contemporary dance to “see the world of flamenco through a distorting lens, a lens born of dreams, desire and memory,” as explained by Marcos Morau, who is responsible for the concept and artistic direction of Afanador.

Its premiere in 2023 at the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville marked the starting point of a long series of tours and successes. Afanador has filled venues including the Teatro Real, Madrid; Teatro Mira, Pozuelo de Alarcón; Teatros del Canal, Madrid; Les Arts, Valencia; the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona; Yeulmaru Theatre, Yeosu, Korea; GS Arts Center, Seoul, Korea; and the Teatro de la Zarzuela, Madrid.

“Afanador is an example of how dialogue between different artistic disciplines gains strength when it is undertaken without prejudice,” and of how “Spanish dance will always benefit from this exchange without losing its character and essence,” said Rubén Olmo, director of the Ballet Nacional de España, on the meaning of this artistic creation.

Afanador is being recognised by audiences and critics alike, as shown by the many awards it has received to date: five Max Awards, two Talía Awards, and the Catalonia Critics’ Awards, among others. All of them reflect the admiration of both audiences and critics for this ballet.

Continuing its work to promote Spanish dance, the Ballet Nacional de España has just published the booklet Afanador for Young People, written by Elna Matamoros. Its pages invite readers to travel through and enjoy this ballet alongside Ruven Afanador, Marcos Morau and the artists of the Spanish National Ballet.

Program:

AFANADOR
Ballet Nacional de España

Teatro dell’Opera di Roma

Thursday, September 4^th, 2025, 8:00 p.m.
Friday, September 5^th, 2025, 8:00 p.m.

Ticket sales: https://romaeuropa.net/en/festival-2025/afanador/