Spain’s Córdoba and Granada festivals salute flamenco icon Blanca del Rey and ballet pioneer La Argentina

At the 45th Festival de la Guitarra in Córdoba, the gala "La Reina Blanca" honored choreographer and dancer Blanca del Rey. The tribute highlighted her six‑decade career, creation of the famous Soleá del Mantón, and her numerous honors, including the National Flamenco Prize and the Medal of Gold of Córdoba. The performance coincided with the 70th anniversary of the Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco de Córdoba and the 40th anniversary of the Gran Teatro’s reinauguration.

Meanwhile, the penultimate night of the 75th edition of the Festival de Música y Danza in Granada, staged at the Teatro del Generalife, presented a homage to Les Ballets Espagnols de “La Argentina.” Directed by Antonio Najarro, the program featured three works – Juerga, Triana and Sonatina – that revived early‑20th‑century Spanish dance, with contributions from guitarist José Luis Montón, the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, and soloists Constanza Lechner and Sergio Menem.