Algarabía 2026 in Abu Dhabi

Algarabía comes to Abu Dhabi on Thursday 26 November 2026, bringing a new production of flamenco, Arabic poetry and symphonic music to Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental as part of Abu Dhabi Festival 2026. It is the work’s first staging anywhere in the Arab world, following a sold-out premiere in Pamplona, Spain, in March 2026.

For anyone who likes an evening of culture that crosses borders, this is one of the festival’s most unusual collaborations.

Algarabía in Abu Dhabi: A Spanish and Arab Co-Production

Algarabía is a newly commissioned piece produced by three partners: the Khawla Art and Culture Foundation, founded by Sheikha Khawla bint Ahmed Al Suwaidi; Spain’s Museo Universidad de Navarra; and the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF), which runs Abu Dhabi Festival. The University of Navarra Symphony Orchestra is also part of the production.

The piece sets out to connect Arab artistic traditions with flamenco, and uses that meeting point to present culture as something that brings people into conversation. Spanish reviewers of the Pamplona premiere described it as an exploration of how Arab and Spanish traditions interact and influence one another, and as a fusion of disciplines as much as cultures. Old traditions are the raw material, but the treatment is contemporary. The Spanish newspaper El Español summed it up as flamenco and the Arab world meeting again in the gardens of the Alhambra, an image that fits a cast that includes a character called the Spirit of the Garden.

The Abu Dhabi performance was first listed as part of the headline programme of the April 2026 festival before moving to November, as the Emirates News Agency (WAM) confirmed in a report published on 24 April 2026. The new date makes it one of the cultural highlights of the city’s autumn calendar.

The Cast and Characters

Four performers carry the story. Jesús Carmona dances the role of Florencio, Cynthya Karam plays Farah, Lucía Campillo is Candela, and Rafic Ali Ahmad appears as the Spirit of the Garden.

Carmona is also the choreographer, so the movement on stage comes directly from one of the leads. The Barcelona-born dancer is one of the leading names in contemporary flamenco, with Spain’s Premio Nacional de Danza in 2020 and the Benois de la Danse prize in 2021 among his honours. His earlier work has also premiered at the Museo Universidad de Navarra, which has become a regular home for new flamenco creation.

Rafic Ali Ahmad wrote the poetry for the piece as well as performing in it, giving the Arabic side of the collaboration a strong voice. Behind the scenes, Liuba Cid is artistic director, with Ignacio García and Jihad Mikhael as dramaturgs shaping the narrative.

Flamenco, Poetry and a Symphony Orchestra

The music is what sets Algarabía apart from a typical flamenco evening. The University of Navarra Symphony Orchestra performs under conductor Borja Quintas, joined by the university choir and flamenco musicians, and the score draws on music by Manuel de Falla, the Spanish composer whose work was steeped in the sounds of Andalusia. Hearing flamenco dance set against a full orchestra and choir, with Arabic verse woven between the scenes, gives the production its scale.

Dance lovers, flamenco fans and anyone curious about the long cultural ties between the Arab world and Spain will get the most from it. It also makes a special night out at one of the city’s grandest venues, and older children can attend, as the minimum age is 10.

Know Before You Go

Seating is allocated, and the organisers ask guests to be in place half an hour before curtain up. Latecomers may only be admitted at a break, if there is one, or not at all, and tickets will not be refunded or exchanged in that case. Sales are final and tickets cannot be resold, so check your plans before booking.

Dressing up is welcome, though comfort comes first. Phones should be on silent, photography is not allowed during the performance and recording equipment is banned. Outside food cannot be brought in and eating during the show is not permitted.

Getting to Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

The performance takes place at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Ras Al Akhdar, at the western end of the Corniche. Parking is available at or close to the venue, and drivers approach along King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street. By bus, routes 9, 34 and 69 stop at the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street / Emirates Palace Hotel stop, about a ten-minute walk away.

For more on the season’s programme, see our art and culture events, the full guide to things to do in Abu Dhabi and our things to do in November page.

Flamenco and Arabic poetry sharing a stage with a full orchestra and choir is a rare pairing. Book your seats for Algarabía at Emirates Palace on 26 November.