Flamenco Festival New York 2024

The 23rd edition of “Flamenco Festival” celebrates the figure of Paco de Lucía and the musical heritage of the Spanish guitar.

Under the direction and leadership of Miguel Marín, Flamenco Festival’s annual international events serve as a platform for presenting today’s foremost flamenco artists — from internationally acclaimed artists and icons of traditional flamenco to cutting-edge and young talents in dance, music, and song.

Established in 2001, Flamenco Festival has evolved into the premier global platform for flamenco, captivating over 1.6 million people annually. Across 112 cities, it has featured 170 companies in 1350 performances, elevating flamenco to a vital part of prestigious theaters worldwide, including NY City Center, Carnegie Hall, London Sadler’s Wells, Arsht Center in Miami, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, and more.

Nearly twenty years after Paco de Lucía’s final performance in New York City at Flamenco Festival New York 2007, the event returns to honor the guitarist on the tenth anniversary of his death. The 23rd edition features a tribute to Paco de Lucía and brings together 230 participants, making it a significant milestone in the festival’s history.

More than 150 artists from Spain will join the 80 from New York, to present 44 performances in the United States in a total of 21 spaces, 13 in New York and 8 in Miami, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C. The event will take place from March 1st to the 17th and will have the Spanish guitar as the protagonist, through the commemoration of the IV centenary of the death of the Spanish musician and poet Vicente Espinel, Spanish priest, writer and musician of the Golden Age who is credited with having added the fifth string to the Spanish guitar as we know it today.

Tomatito: In Concert

• On Friday, March 1 at 8 pm. Buy tickets.
• At The Town Hall, 123 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036.

Tomatito, whose real name is José Fernández Torres, is a renowned Spanish flamenco guitarist and composer. He is known for his collaborations with the legendary flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla and has also released several solo albums. Tomatito’s music blends traditional flamenco with elements of jazz, and he is considered one of the most talented flamenco guitarists, having won multiple Latin Grammy Awards.

On March 1, Tomatito performs with musicians chosen for their connection to the gypsy musical spirit. Together they aim to recreate the rhythm and emotional power of flamenco.

National Ballet of Spain: Invocación

• On Friday, March 8 at 7:30 pm. Buy tickets.
• On Saturday, March 9 at 3 pm. Buy tickets.
• On Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 pm. Buy tickets.
• On Sunday, March 10 at 3 pm. Buy tickets.
• At New York City Center, 131 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019.

Invocation is a program that intertwines various styles of dance through different choreographies, ranging from bolero school, stylized dance, to flamenco. The show consists of several pieces, including Bolero Invocation (one of the few recent choreographies of bolero school where Director Rubén Olmo has aimed to update the essence of this traditional dance, one of the most complex disciplines to execute) and Eternal Iberia, choreographed by Antonio Najarro, representing the classic Spanish style that identifies the National Ballet of Spain.

Invocation also marks the first time in the history of the Ballet includes a choreography by Mario Maya, a reference in the world of Spanish dance. Maya, a pioneering and dedicated researcher, created the innovative production De lo Flamenco in 1994 for the Andalusian Company, now known as the Ballet Flamenco of Andalusia. Almost 30 years later, Rubén Olmo reproduces this flamenco suite for the National Ballet of Spain, incorporating two new choreographies, Taranto and Romance del emplazado, created by two disciples of Mario Maya: Rafaela Carrasco and Isabel Bayón.

Olga Pericet: La Leona

• On Friday, March 15 at 7:30 pm. Buy tickets.
• At New York City Center, 131 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019.

Olga Pericet, a renowned Spanish flamenco and contemporary dancer and choreographer, has received several major awards, including the Premio Ojo Crítico in 2014 and the Spanish National Dance Prize in 2018. Her work is known for its tightly choreographed solo performances and constant conversation with musicians.

La Leona refers to both the lioness and Antonio de Torres’s flamenco guitar. This avant-garde solo showcases Pericet, who bares herself physically and spiritually in an intimate performance. Through a blend of theatre and dance, Pericet crafts a poetic and surreal world in her latest work, drawing on imagery of Westerns, wakes, and stars.

Gala Flamenca 24

• On Saturday, March 16 at 7:30 pm. Buy tickets.
• On Sunday, March 17 at 2 pm. Buy tickets.
• On Sunday, March 17 at 7 pm. Buy tickets.
• At New York City Center, 131 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019.
• Featuring Manuel Liñán, Alfonso Losa, El Yiyo, Paula Comitre & Sandra Carrasco.

The intergenerational Gala Flamenca will showcase some of Spain’s top dancers—Manuel Liñán, Alfonso Losa, El Yiyo, and Paula Comitre. Liñán (who most recently presented ¡VIVA! at City Center to critical acclaim in 2022) and Losa (winner of the prestigious Festival de Jerez Critic’s Choice Award) are joined by Miguel Fernández Ribas, known as El Yiyo, and Paula Comitre, one of the most celebrated talents of the contemporary flamenco world. Sandra Carrasco lends her vocal talents to the showcase.

Additional performances

• Alejandro Hurtado: Tamiz. On Sunday, March 3 at 6 pm.
• Andres Barrios: Universo Lorca. On Tuesday, March 5 at 7 pm.
• Rafael Riqueni: Nerja. On Thursday, March 7 at 7 pm.
• Inma La Carbonera & Antonia Jiménez: A Gaya. On Saturday, March 9 at 8 pm.
• Las Migas: Libres. On Sunday, March 10 at 6 pm.
• Rycardo Moreno: Flamenco Meets Jazz. On Wednesday, March 13 at 7 pm and 9 pm.
• Israel Fernández & Diego del Morao: Pura Sangre. On Thursday, March 14 at 8 pm.
• María José Llergo: Ultrabelleza. On Friday, March 15 at 8 pm.
• Sandra Carrasco & David de Arahal: Recordando a Marchena. On Friday, March 15 at 8 pm.
• Sergio de Lope: Unlimited. On Saturday, March 16 at 7 pm.
• Raul Cantizano: Cordoned Off Zone. On Sunday, March 17 at 8:30 pm.