The most important flamenco festival in Spain, the Bienal de Flamenco, began yesterday in Seville. The series of shows, which takes place once every two years, brings together the very best in today's flamenco stars for performances in some fabulous settings. I went to an excellent show during the festival when I was in Seville four years ago and it was astounding. The show was in the grounds of the Alcazar, Seville's beautiful palace and garden complex, which added a great ambience to already amazing music.
The festival runs until October 15, so if you are going to be in Spain in the next month, make your way to Seville. For complete listings of performances, see the Bienal de Flamenco Web site. The site is only in Spanish, but if you click on Bienal 2006 and then Programacón you can see what's on when. I suggest trying to buy tickets well in advance if possible - for the show I went to in 2002 there were people waiting outside holding placards and trying to buy tickets to get in, such can be the demand for some of the shows. Buy tickets from www.generaltickets.com (but be quick, some are already sold out).
Photo © Michal Jarocinski
Suggested Reading
- Top Five Flamenco Artists
- Essential Camaron de la Isla Albums
- Flamenco FAQ
- Seville City Guide
- Pictures of Seville
- September Festivals in Spain
- October Festivals in Spain
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