Seville in September-La Bienal
 

We hope to visit Seville this September and can really only be away a week. We want to go to as much as we can at the Bienal Flamenco. Which week would you suggest would be the best-(doesn't have to run from Saturday to Friday). For example, we see Kimhe has recommended the event on 21st September at the Real Alcazar, but also know that Rocio Molina on 1st October would be pretty good.
If possible, we would like to combine this with the Vendimia Festival in Jerez the week before-does anyone know when that will be this year? Does it always start on 8th September, or can this vary?

many thanks for your help-

It varies based on the calendar. I think it's usually the first Tuesday after Sept 8th through the next Sunday. In 2016, that would make in 9/13 through 9/18, if it follows form. Those are the same dates it was in 2011 when the 8th was on a Thursday, also.

I mentioned the Sept 21 concert on another thread. Several fabulous artists, could be a great night in the Real Alcazar gardens. But with so many stars on stage, concerts like this can now and then also be a bit unfocused and all over the place.

Plain fantastic Olga Pericet dances in Teatro Central on Friday 23 Sept at 11pm. Last year she won the Premio Max as best female dancer in Spain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac7xLhfGLR8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31LUeHJ2Io8

But I would of course go here again to see out of this world Rocio Molina. She's doing a four-hours improvisation in Teatro Central on Oct. 1. Two weeks ago she was awarded the Special Award for Exceptional Artistry during the National Dance Awards in London, and she won the prize for her 2014 Bienal concert "Bosque Ardora". http://londondance.com/articles/news...015-announced/

She's - together with Israel Galvan (the Sept 21 concert) - the most cutting edge flamenco dancer on the planet and in the process of making big time history. Have seen her some 15 times since 2007, and she always surprises and leaves you totally shaken. Here a portrait of Molina in The Guardian after the last Bienal in 2014, "Flamenco and beyond": http://www.theguardian.com/stage/201...-bosque-ardora

Of course lots of other excellent artists on stage during this bienal, 25 days and 70 concerts in total. Belen Maya, Isabel Bayon, Merche Esmeralda, Eva Yerbabuena, Maria Pages, Antonio El Pipa, Pastora Galvan, Andres Marin, Rafael Esteves, Nani Paños and Patricia Guerrero just to start with some fabulous dancers, and then you have all the great singers, guitarists and of course the piano genious David Peña Dorantes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOjtXiPl8Rk

But I alwyas start my Bienal planning with Rocio Molina, and then add a few other concerts around her performance.

And my suggestion would then be:

Wednesday 28: The sevillana Pastora Galvan in the fine old world Teatro Lope de Vega. She was voted best female flamenco dancer 2010 by Spanish critics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2SBUcrJgeQ

Thursday 29: The guitarist Juan Carlos Romero in Espacio Santa Clara: http://www.labienal.com/en/que-mas-da/
http://www.juancarlosromero.es/?page_id=676

Friday 30: Patricia Guerrero in Teatro Lope de Vega, she made her great breakthrough in the 2014 Bienal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NacCLcjuMFc

Molina in Teatro Central on Saturday Oct 1: http://www.rociomolina.net/

Sunday Oct 2: The closing gala in the huge Maestranza theater with living legends Jose Merce, Tomatito and Pepe Habichuela: http://josemerce.es/home/

Thank you so much both-

That is just the guidance I was hoping for.

Now to get booking!

And the tickets are on sale from February 15th: http://www.labienal.com/programa/