The Festival of Music and Dance in Granada

Its origins date back to the symphonic concerts performed at the Palace of Charles V during the Corpus Christi holidays since 1883 and the «Cante Jondo» (Flamenco singing) contest organised at the Alhambra in 1922 by Federico García Lorca, Manuel de Falla and other intellectuals and artists.

Denominated as a Festival since 1952, this event has made itself well-known and is appreciated for the breathtaking settings of its concerts and performances, as well as for having succeeded in combining, within its programmes, the presence of current great performers with younger artists summoned to be the maestros of the future. Photos of Rubinstein, Victoria de los Ángeles or Andrés Segovia in the beautiful Arab courtyards of the Alhambra have been seen all over the world. With them as well some of Schuricht's, Karajan's or Celibidache's conducting at the Palace of Charles V, of Margot Fonteyn or Nureyev dancing in the Gardens of the Generalife. But the Festival can also take credit for having welcomed promising artists at the initial point of their careers such as Teresa Berganza, Lorin Maazel, Antonio or Joaquín Achúcarro.

The programme of the Festival is traditionally based on classical music, ballet and Spanish dancing. As well as this classical repertoire, it also includes interesting exhibitions, attractive samples of Flamenco, ancient, and contemporary music, and continues to offer this varied range of shows every year. The Festival plunges the city and the visitor into a festive atmosphere for several days. When attending its shows, the audience crosses and penetrates some of Granada's most intimate and lovely corners; these cultural events create a meeting point between different traditions, a cross between history and new modern creations.

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