Les Arts presents ‘Homage to Antonio Ruiz Soler – The Three-Cornered Hat’, by the National Ballet of Spain

The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía will present 'Homage to Antonio Ruiz Soler – The Three-Cornered Hat' by the National Ballet of Spain (BNE) in the Main Hall from Friday, April 21 to Monday, April 24.

The arts center maintains its commitment to ballet as a fundamental part of its programming, with a performance that “brings together the richness and diversity of Spanish Dance,” as Davide Livermore emphasized today at the press conference. Antonio Najarro, director of the Spanish National Ballet (BNE), and Álvaro Albiach, musical director, accompanied the director of Les Arts at the press conference.

Antonio Najarro designed the tribute to the legendary dancer, which the National Ballet of Spain premiered at the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid on June 18, 2016, within the twentieth anniversary of the death of the man who was "one of the great figures of Spanish Dance."

'Homage to Antonio Ruiz Soler', as explained by the director of the BNE, "brings together a selection of choreographies, most of them belonging to the repertoire of the National Ballet, in which several styles of Spanish Dance were represented through the brilliant creations of the great Antonio: 'Eritaña', with music by Isaac Albéniz; 'Zapateado' by Sarasate, 'Taranto' from the flamenco ballet 'La Taberna del Toro', 'Fantasía Galaica', with music by Ernesto Halffter; and 'El sombrero de tres picos', by Manuel de Falla."

In this regard, Antonio Najarro emphasized “the special interest in recovering the original backdrops and sets, as well as in reproducing in detail the scenery and costumes of the various choreographies, which are works of art that always identified Antonio's creativity and staging. For this, the selfless collaboration of the artists linked to his career has been essential, as they have generously provided us with valuable documentation to enhance this tribute.”

Álvaro Albiach, from Valencia, who made his debut in 2014 with the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana at the Auditori de Castelló, will perform for the first time in the Calatrava building with a score, 'The Three-Cornered Hat', which has only been conducted previously by Lorin Maazel during the inaugural concerts of 2005. In this way, the current principal conductor of the Orquesta de Extremadura joins the list of Valencians who have conducted in the Main Hall: Jordi Bernàcer, Enrique García Asensio, Gustavo Gimeno, José Ramón Martín, Cristóbal Soler and Ramón Tebar.

Davide Livermore, who praised the excellent reception of the proposal "for which there are hardly any tickets left", also referred to the list of outstanding soloists who participate in the different pieces: the Valencian mezzo-soprano Sandra Ferrández, the violinist Albert Skuratov and the pianist Cori Lechner.

National Ballet of Spain

The National Ballet of Spain (BNE), directed by Antonio Najarro since September 2011, is currently the leading exponent of Spanish dance, showcasing all the styles of dance from our country in the world's most prestigious theaters through a wide variety of performances that encompass tradition and avant-garde, from the bolero school and classical Spanish dance to folklore and flamenco, as seen in 'Suite Sevilla' , ' Ángeles Caídos', 'Sorolla' , ' Alento', and 'Zaguán'. These choreographies, in which the director has collaborated with young guest choreographers with diverse personalities and dance aesthetics, aim to promote and preserve our dance and reach broader audiences. It also highlights the Spanish dance repertoire, reviving pieces such as 'Medea' , 'Grito', 'Ritmos', 'Bolero' (J. Granero) , ' Paso a Cuatro', 'Farruca', 'Viva Navarra', and 'Jota de la Dolores'. Following the tribute to R. Aguilar, his 'Bolero' has also been added to the ballet's repertoire.

 The BNE performed for the first time at Les Arts in 2012 with 'Fallen Angels' and 'Suite Sevilla'.