Introduction

Spanish dancer-choreographer Israel Galván is flamenco's leading avant-garde and world star, whose works question and break all possible boundaries of flamenco. The technical virtuoso plays with tradition in a way that has not been seen before in Spanish flamenco.

The title of Israel Galván's classic La Edad de Oro (The Golden Age) refers to the period from the middle of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, when most of the subgenres of flamenco known today were born.

During flamenco’s golden age, its expression remained simple and sincere — an intimacy that Galván seeks to capture in his performance. He distills the essence of flamenco down to its core elements of dance, song, and guitar, reimagining them for a contemporary audience through his unique style. The audience in Erkko Hall experiences the performance from three sides, evoking the ambiance of a turn-of-the-century café cantante, where flamenco was performed up close, vibrant, and immersive.In his work, Galván combines tradition and modern expression in an exceptional way, as stated in the justifications for the awards the work received: refined and intimate.

The event is part of the Helsinki Flamenco Biennial.