Miguel Marín on two weeks of tumultuous passion at Flamenco Festival 2025
Can you believe that the electrifying Flamenco Festival has its 20th anniversary this year? Showcasing and promoting Spanish culture from around the globe, it is a glorious platform to celebrate this most exciting of artforms. And for 2025 it’s even bigger and better, running across two weeks from Tuesday 27 May to Sunday 8 June at a host of venues. We were delighted to speak with Festival Director Miguel Marín to find out what’s on offer.
Hi Miguel. Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us at what must be an extraordinarily busy time for you! Can you tell us how the festival came about initially?
Yes, this is an exciting and intense moment for us. Flamenco Festival was born out of a simple but powerful idea: to create a platform that could showcase the richness and diversity of flamenco to international audiences. When we started the festival two decades ago, flamenco was often viewed in a very traditional or folkloric way outside of Spain. I wanted to break that stereotype and present flamenco as a contemporary, living, and evolving artform — one that can be as theatrical, innovative and multidisciplinary as any other genre. London, with its vibrant arts scene and openness to cultural exchange, has been the perfect home for that vision.
There is a treasure chest of works on the programme this year, from a wide range of disciplines. What is your thought process when selecting such diverse productions to draw together?
Flamenco today is an incredibly broad and dynamic field. It includes the purity of tradition and the boldness of contemporary experimentation, and everything in between. When curating the programme, I look for balance: I want to honour the legacy of flamenco while also supporting artists who are pushing its boundaries. I think about contrast and dialogue — how different approaches can complement each other and give audiences a fuller picture of what flamenco is today.
Who are the star companies appearing and what are they bringing along for us?
Leading the program is the incomparable Sara Baras, who opens the festival with Vuela, a tribute to the legendary guitarist Paco de Lucía, blending tradition with her signature contemporary flair.
Manuel Liñán returns with Muerta de Amor, a bold exploration of desire and fantasy through the lens of copla, featuring 12 artists on stage. Mercedes Ruiz and Santiago Lara present Romancero del Baile Flamenco, an elegant journey through flamenco’s poetic essence.
We’re honoured to welcome back Farruquito, who revisits his roots in Con-Cierto Flamenco, performing alongside his son in a celebration of spontaneity and legacy. The Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía offers Pineda: Romance popular en tres estampas, showcasing the richness of Andalusian dance traditions.
Innovation is at the heart of this year’s festival. Paula Comitre, Florencia Oz, and Carmen Angulo debut Reflexiones sobre las Parcas, a piece born from our ‘In Progress’ residency program, intertwining flamenco with electronic music and folklore to explore the symbolic power of the feminine triad. Rosario La Tremendita brings Matancera, a raw and avant-garde performance that delves into shared passions and emotional authenticity.
The festival also features a vibrant array of musical talents: Argentina with Flamenco por Cantaora, Queralt Lahoz in an acoustic set, Lela Soto’s El fuego que llevo dentro, and Ángeles Toledano in concert. Groups like Las Migas and La Plazuela infuse flamenco with contemporary sounds in Flamencas and Roneo Funk Club, respectively.
Instrumental showcases include Miradas by Alejandro Hurtado and Inma Solomón, Las tres orillas with Manuel Valencia and El Choro, and Armonía Flamenca featuring Álvaro Martinete and Claudia La Debla.
With 17 companies and 25 performances across venues like Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Lilian Baylis Studio, Kings Place, and the Jazz Café, this edition is our most ambitious yet, celebrating flamenco’s rich heritage and its dynamic evolution.
Flamenco is a globally popular dance form, so which nationalities will we see represented?
While the roots of flamenco are undeniably Andalusian, the festival reflects how flamenco has become a global language. Most of our featured artists are Spanish, of course, but their work has been shaped by international influences — from jazz to contemporary dance, to Middle Eastern music or electronic composition.
Aside from performances in the large auditoriums at the Sadler’s Wells venues, you’re hosting more intimate events in smaller spaces, such as Kings Place and the Jazz Café. What will these involve?
These more intimate venues allow us to highlight flamenco’s raw, spontaneous side and reach to different and new audiences. At the Jazz Café, we’ll have late-night sessions blending flamenco with soul, funk, and world music — a nod to flamenco’s improvisational spirit. Kings Place will host chamber-style musical performances, It’s a chance to feel the pulse of flamenco up close and personal.
The Festival invites audiences to go beyond simply spectating and to get actively involved themselves, with exclusive workshops being offered. What opportunities might we expect to encounter?
Connecting artists and audiences is at the heart of what we do. This year, we’re excited to launch a new collaboration with the Acosta Dance Foundation to offer flamenco dance workshops led by Manuel Liñán and his company. These sessions are open to all levels — from absolute beginners to seasoned dancers — and offer a unique opportunity to experience flamenco from within.
In addition, we’re hosting post-show discussions, including a special session around the work-in-progress Parcas, giving audiences a deeper insight into the creative process and the evolution of contemporary flamenco.
At the heart of flamenco is fiery passion, but also respect for heritage and a desire to evolve the artform by sharing knowledge across generations. Is there work from young and cutting edge artists in this year’s Festival?
Absolutely. One of the most exciting things about flamenco today is how vibrant the younger generation is. Artists like Paula Comitre, Florencia Oz, are not only exceptional dancers — they’re also curious, brave, and deeply respectful of tradition while fearlessly reinventing it. We’re also proud to present emerging talents in our “Ellas Flamencas” showcase, which brings new voices to international stages. For our 20th anniversary, it’s important to honour the legacy, but also to shine a light on the future — and that future is incredibly bright.
Thanks very much to Miguel for sharing his insight on this hugely exciting event!
The Flamenco Festival runs from Tuesday 27 May to Sunday 8 June at Sadler’s Wells venues and a variety of locations across London. Further information and tickets available here.
One Comment