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Music, dance, theatre, and performance art headline the cultural calendars in all of Night+Day’s cool cities. We combed through dozens of annual performing arts festivals worldwide, and here are the best of the best.
Best Performing Arts Festivals in....
Best Performing Arts Festivals
Madrid
Caja Madrid Flamenco Festival Late January to early February, Teatro Albéniz flamenco-world.com
The Draw: This annual winter festival attracts the best flamenco artists, experts, and fans to Madrid for a full slate of performances, lectures, and workshops. The Scene: Marking its 17th anniversary in 2009, the festival celebrates the evolution of flamenco, a complex theatrical style of music and dance originated by gypsies and others in the Andalucian region of Spain. Usually in late January/early February, this is the best time to experience the art in its most authentic form in the heart of the nation’s capital. For a few days prior to the performances, music critics and experts give talks and presentations about the genre. Artists proudly display the best of the classical styles, as well as new and emerging forms. Hot Tip: Each year, the festival pays tribute to a flamenco legend of the past. It’s a great opportunity to experience the legends of the dance.
The Draw: Two days, two cities, four stages, and more than 50 musical acts featuring rock, pop, indie, and electronic bands from around the world. The Scene: Only three years old, this festival has made its mark as one of the best in Europe. Shared between Spain’s two coolest cities, Madrid and Barcelona, Summercase attracts more than 100,000 music-lovers with varied tastes and interests. World-famous acts such as Blondie, The Chemical Brothers, The Verve, and Interpol have all played this music festival. Hot Tip: After rocking the crowds in Madrid, the entire lineup heads straight to Barcelona to do the same show there the following day (and the Barcelona lineup performs in Madrid). Hop on the train, and make the double-day tour of duty with the rest of the die-hards.
The Draw: For nearly a quarter of a century, Veranos de la Villa has been transforming Madrid into a summer gathering place for every kind of performance, attracting stars from all over the world. The Scene: More than 100 music, theatre, opera, dance, film, and even circus events, many of which are free, are strewn throughout the capital city, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to Madrid’s favorite summer festival, beginning every July and running through most of August. Cultural events take over many of the city’s theatres and performing-arts venues, and outdoor concerts are frequent, allowing everyone to enjoy the warm nights. Hot Tip:Zarzuela, a Spanish musical play incorporating spoken word, song, and dance is a must-see part of the festival at Jardines de Sabatini.
