Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía
PINEDA
DATE & TIME
Fri. June 20 at 8:30pm
LOCATION
Journal Theater, NHCC
About
The SHOW
Federico García Lorca wrote Mariana Pineda “at barely twenty years old and with a strong romantic flavor,” as he stated in an interview after its first premiere. However, the origins of the play trace back to the poet’s childhood in Granada and young Federico’s encounter with the bronze statue of the liberal heroine, “proud upon the column, her hair loose, her gaze fixed on the sky, clutching the flag of liberty against her body.” Lorca also recalled himself holding hands with other children, singing the verses of a popular ballad “in a melancholic tone, which seemed tragic to me.” Early in his career as a playwright, the poet felt the poetic imperative to transform that “profound childhood impression” into a theatrical work.
“There are a thousand different Marianas of Pineda. The heroic Mariana, the motherly Mariana, the Mariana in love, the embroidering Mariana, but I wasn’t going to ‘create’ them all.” This is how Federico García Lorca described his protagonist after the 1927 premiere of the play. Among all these possible Marianas, we have chosen to focus on the one Lorca himself evoked: “a woman of deep Spanish roots, who sings of love and freedom in the verses of her life in a way that captures the universal essence of these two great sentiments,” embodying “freedom itself.”
In her debut as Artistic Director of the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía, Granada-born Patricia Guerrero takes on the challenge of giving body and soul to Pineda. This version explores the full spiritual and expressive power of Lorca’s dramatic poem. Accompanied by an exceptional team, Patricia Guerrero delivers a vibrant and electrifying Pineda, both rooted in Granada and universal, and unequivocally flamenco. A dramatic poem brought to life through dance because, in Federico’s own words, “the stage can only be emotion and poetry: in the word, in the action, and in the gesture.”
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This production fully trusts in dance, as an absolute, in the power of our flamenco.
Patricia Guerrero
Artistic director
Cast & Credits
Patricia Guerrero
Artistic director, choreographer
Alberto Conejero
Dramaturgy, lyrics adaptation
Agustín Diassera, Dani de Morón
Musical Direction
Agustín Diassera, Dani de Morón, Sergio “El Colorao”
Musical Composition
Manuel Busto
Musical Arrangements
Federico García Lorca
Lyrics
Sergio “El Colorao”
Music adaptation
La Venidera (Albert Hernández)
Choreography for “The Battle of the Albaicín” Scene
Eduardo Leal, Alfonso Losa
Aditional choreographies
Alfonso Losa
invited artist
Eduardo Leal
rehearsal director
Álvaro Aguilera, Ángel Fariña, Araceli Muñoz, Claudia “La Debla,” Hugo Aguilar, Lucía “La Bronce,” María Carrasco, Pablo Egea,Sofía Suárez
Dance
Amparo Lagares, Manuel de Gines
Singers
Jesús Rodríguez, José Luis Medina
Guitarists
David Chupete
Percussion
Pablo Árbol
Costume Design
Juan Gómez Cornejo
Lighting Design
Bengoa Vázquez, Laura Ordás
Scenography Design
Rafael Pipió
Sound Design
Photo: Marcos Medina
Learn More About
Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía
The Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía, a project of the Andalusian Flamenco Institute under the Andalusian Agency of Cultural Institutions of the Junta de Andalucía, was established with the primary goal of contributing to the development of the interpretation, creation, production, and dissemination of Andalusian dance, with a particular emphasis on flamenco languages. This mission aligns with the Andalusian Statute of Autonomy and follows UNESCO’s recommendations, promoting the preservation and dissemination of Andalusia’s cultural heritage, with Flamenco as its most distinctive element.
Throughout its history, the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía has achieved significant milestones as an artistic company, garnering critical and public acclaim. Notable recognitions include the National Choreography Award and a Max Award for Best Female Dance Performance.
Additionally, the company plays a vital role in attracting new audiences and promoting Andalusian culture. It serves as a benchmark in the professional dance world, having established itself as a significant artistic and professional springboard for Andalusian artists who have been part of its ensemble. Esteemed figures in dance, such as Rubén Olmo, El Junco, Israel Galván, and Belén Maya, have emerged from its ranks, to name just a few.
The Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía embarks on a new chapter in 2024, the year it celebrates its 30th anniversary, under the leadership of Patricia Guerrero, its new Artistic Director. A recipient of the National Dance Award in 2021, the dancer and choreographer will guide the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía for the next three years with a project that blends tradition and modernity, the old and the new, the aesthetics of the 18th century with those of the 21st century. Her meticulous work, rich in nuance, will transform structures while respecting the form, unbound by the constraints of any single discipline.
Photo: Marcos Medina