Annual flamenco festival makes welcome return to Benalmádena

Benalmádena is gearing up for the 14th Semana Flamenca, a week-long festival from Friday 13 to Friday 20 November that brings together major figures from today’s flamenco scene, and poetry recitals, educational activities and a gastronomic event. Held since 2012, flamenco week helps to keep the flamenco tradition of Benalmádena alive and to give visibility to new generations of artists.

Organised by the Peña Flamenca La Repompa de Málaga and Benalmádena town hall, the initiative is a showcase for dancers, singers and guitarists that represent both the pure and the new trends within the world of flamenco.

All but one of the activities are held in the Casa de la Cultura in Arroyo de la Miel at 8pm.

The festival gets going on Friday 13 November with La poesía en el cante flamenco, a performance by Malaga singer Marina Badía that brings together flamenco and poetry, accompanied by guitar, violin and percussion.

On Saturday (5pm), the Centro Cultural Museo Taurino will host Cuchara Flamenca, an initiative that combines traditional Andalusian cuisine with flamenco. This event presents Luis Perdiguero, a Gypsy singer from Antequera who descends from a long line of celebrated artists; and Nono Reyes, a young guitarist from Cadiz who also comes from a family with a deep flamenco tradition.

Other events include Jóvenes Flamencos (16 November), a recital with young singers from the Antonio de Canillas flamenco school; the IX Benalmádena flamenco guitar festival (17 November); and Cine y Flamenco (19 November), a documentary highlighting the career of the singer Niña de la Puebla.

The festival closes on Friday 20 November with a show by Malaga dancer Carmen Camacho, who has built an international career performing with some of the most respected names in contemporary flamenco.