Spain/Portugal/Gibraltar - Flamenco in Barcelona?

Has anyone enjoyed a flamenco show in Barcelona and would recommend the place? Thanks.

Kind of like asking about Morris Dancing in Glasgow or where to see Highland Dancing in Stratford-Upon-Avon. (The Sardana is the dance of Catalonia)

Occasionally touring companies (either of Flamenco or Ballet Español) visit Barcelona and these could be worth seeing. Without knowing your dates it's impossible to tell who might coincide with your trip.

I don't know if it still exists but you had the Tablao Flamenco in Poble Espanyol. It surely will be touristy, as flamenco is pretty alien to Barcelona, but I heard it was good.

I honestly cannot imagine a sardana show... that would be pretty boring!

I honestly cannot imagine a sardana show... that would be pretty boring!

Me neither - but one can stumble on sardanes every now and again, particularly at a festival, and sometimes in a public square during the summer.

I'm glad the point about them being boring to watch came from you though :) - I have a real fondness for some of the jotas and have seen some wonderful performances in Alicante and Murcia.

So , if flamenco dancing isn't typical to Barcelona, do you have any other musical suggestions or a place to find out?

La Palau del La Musica is worth a Google

So , if flamenco dancing isn't typical to Barcelona
It isn't. I can absolutely assure you of this.
do you have any other musical suggestions or a place to find out?
As I said, if you post your dates I can look into what will be on.

I don't think there's anywhere in the world where I would rely solely on the venue to see dance.

Travel dates are May 15 - June 1

A few years ago I enjoyed an excellent flamenco show in Barcelona - but they were a visiting troupe from Sevilla, so you'd have to pick your date and venue carefully to find authentic flamenco in Barcelona.

Travel dates are May 15 - June 1
Sorry. I can't see anything dance related that would be worthwhile for your dates.

However, Barcelona does have a truly wonderful theatre heritage and is famous throughout Spain for visual and comedic theatre in particular.

Tricicle, one of the city's best and best loved groups, will be in Barcelona during your visit and I can wholeheartedly recommend them from previous performances (although I've never seen the one being presented now, Garrick). I can promise you that language just won't be a problem with these guys.

More information here: http://www.tricicle.com/templates/index.php?area=garrick&ProdID=126&Sub=main&lang=en

Me neither - but one can stumble on sardanes every now and again, particularly at a festival, and sometimes in a public square during the summer.

I'm glad the point about them being boring to watch came from you though :) - I have a real fondness for some of the jotas and have seen some wonderful performances in Alicante and Murcia.

In all honesty dance bores me pretty quickly... probably because I have no feeling for rhythm myself... but sardanes are incredibly dull. I haven't seen any for years and as for catalan folklore I would recommend castellers instead.

So , if flamenco dancing isn't typical to Barcelona, do you have any other musical suggestions or a place to find out?

I'd second the suggestion of checking out Palau de la Musica. I don't know what's on show during your stay (it ranges from classical to ballet to pop) but the building and acoustics are magnificent.

However, Barcelona does have a truly wonderful theatre heritage and is famous throughout Spain for visual and comedic theatre in particular.
And opera, if that's of any interest — this is the city that gave the world Victoria de los Angeles, Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Conchita Supervía...

You could look here (http://www.liceubarcelona.cat/cms/index.php?lang=en) to see if anything appeals...

And opera, if that's of any interest — this is the city that gave the world Victoria de los Angeles, Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Conchita Supervía...

You could look here (http://www.liceubarcelona.cat/cms/index.php?lang=en) to see if anything appeals...

Now if you're going to go down that route, Barclona's musical heritage is, perhaps, better showcased with the Catalan Zarzuelas (Sarsuelas). Even one of Catalonia's most typical dishes shares its name with this style of theatre

At the Liceu there's only Fidelio and a recital by a German(?) lady when the OP is visiting.

Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any Sarsuela recitals in Catalonia during May (Castillian zarzuela can be found in Madrid). Occasionally a spate of them are performed as revivals, but there's a sordid political debate around the Sarsuela. The Generalitat (local government - and through ignorance of the genre IMO) has decided they aren't 'Catalan' enough to deserve the funding it needs to survive and thrive. So theatres like the Teatro Lírico are frustrated in their desire to better represent Sarsuela performances. As a result, most visitors, and even younger Spaniards/Catalonians are left ignorant of this fine tradition in Catalan theatre history. Quina vergonya! (what a shame)

I recommended Tricicle as their performances have no dialogue, it's almost 'dancelike'.

LapLap, thank you for your comments about zarzuelas (sarsuelas) in Catalonia. I must admit that I don't connect zarzuelas with Barcelona or Catalonia at all, and I'm probably displaying my own ignorance of the genre by saying that. They're fun (but often moving too). Sometimes the music, though always tuneful, is not very "individual", but the same could be said of lots of Viennese operetta music, especially once you move away from the three or four greatest composers in that genre.

I have to say that my favourite recording of individual items from zarzuelas remains the one by Victoria de los Angeles — some might say she can be too refined for the genre, but she certainly makes it all sound like truly great music and is obviously enjoying herself. Was her mother a one-time amateur singer of zarzuelas (or did I make that up)?