site.btaCarlos Saura/Antonio Gades Production of Carmen to Be Staged in Sofia in May 2026

The Spanish production of Carmen will be staged in Bulgaria for the first time on May 21 and 22, 2026, in Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture, the organizers, BGTSC, said. 

Carmen is one of the major cornerstones of contemporary Spanish dance and a masterful blend of artistic ballet and flamenco. Created in 1983 as a film in collaboration with director Carlos Saura, it was later adapted for the stage. Since then, it has become a global symbol of Spanish cultural artistry, the organizers added.

"Antonio Gades, inspired by Prosper Merimee’s novella, sought to correct what he saw as a distortion of Carmen’s image: 'I did not like the mistaken, stereotypical portrayal she had earned simply because she was a woman devoted to love and proud of her roots,' Gades explained. In his version, Carmen becomes a symbol of dignity and female emancipation. The ballet strips the character of operatic artifice, depicting her instead as a woman who dares to choose her own destiny," BGTSC said.

The production features numerous artists and dancers who create a profound and multilayered experience in which Carmen’s story unfolds. "Through minimalist staging, live flamenco, and poetic transitions, Gades and Saura offer us one of the most performed Spanish ballets - a timeless cultural landmark and a phenomenon that continues to captivate audiences on every continent," the organizers noted.