The 24th edition of the Cádiz Festival Música Española will celebrate the 150th anniversary of composer Manuel de Falla with a rich programme featuring 35 concerts and 20 premieres. The festival is scheduled to run from 13 to 23 November.
During a presentation event, Culture Minister Patricia del Pozo emphasised that this year's festival provides an ideal opportunity to honour Falla's legacy through innovative and contemporary interpretations of his work. She stated, "In line with the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Falla's birth, this festival has established itself as a platform to celebrate his legacy from a modern and cross-disciplinary perspective, offering contemporary views and readings of his oeuvre."
The festival will not only revisit historical repertoires but will also explore Falla's connections to flamenco, popular music, jazz, contemporary creation, and emerging generations of performers. Del Pozo remarked, "We will celebrate the personality and work of the Cádiz-born composer who forever bridged the traditional gap between classical music and our other cultural expressions."
Cádiz Mayor Bruno García added that this year’s festival is particularly significant as it coincides with the commemoration of Falla's 150th birthday. He noted, "Falla brought the name of Cádiz to the forefront of global music, and in this edition of the festival, his legacy will be even more prominent."
The festival's programme will include a variety of complementary activities focused on creation, training, and mediation. The opening concert on 13 November will feature O Sister! performing 'A otra galaxia', a performance that connects Falla's universe with European avant-gardes and the jazz of the 1920s and 1930s.
Contemporary creation will be a key theme this year, with the premiere of new works arising from composition projects in collaboration with specialised performers and ensembles. The Workshop for Female Composers, in partnership with the National Centre for Musical Dissemination (CNDM), will present nine world premieres by the Around the Sound Ensemble.
The festival will also provide a platform for young performers and emerging projects linked to music training and dissemination initiatives. Various proposals will be articulated to revisit Falla's work and explore its connections with other musical genres and traditions.
Parallel activities will extend the festival's reach, targeting students, composers, young performers, and the general public. From 13 to 16 November, the second part of the 23rd edition of the Manuel de Falla Chair's Course on Musical Analysis and Composition will take place, incorporating a thematic framework related to the composer’s anniversary.
The festival will unfold across nine venues in the city, including the Gran Teatro Falla and the Teatro del Títere La Tía Norica. Organised by the Culture, Historical Heritage and Sport Ministry of the Junta de Andalucía, the event enjoys the collaboration of various institutions.
