Veranos de la Villa 2017

In July and August, Madrid will host one of the most eagerly-anticipated events in its cultural calendar: a new edition of its most participative summer festival, featuring an endless range of outdoor activities in the city's various neighbourhoods.

In 2017, further to its mission of sharing culture with all members of the public in every one of the city's neighbourhoods, Veranos de la Villa will extend to Madrid's 21 districts with a programme encompassing a total of 90 activities, most of them free of charge, which will take place in 60 different venues all over the city.

Non-Stop Music

For the first time in Spain, Madrid will host the concert Sleep by British composer and performer Max Richter, hailed as a masterpiece by international critics. In this innovative performance, which will take place at La N@ve in Villaverde (8 July), the audience will have to lie down to listen to eight hours of contemporary and minimalist music, discovering the effect that it has on the subconscious.

Also for the first time in Madrid, Greek choreographer Dimitris Papaioannou will present his new work, The Great Tamer, from 11 to 13 July at Naves Matadero. Coinciding with the upcoming edition of the International Book Fair of Guadalajara (Mexico), at which Madrid will be the guest city, Veranos de la Villa will host a triple concert. Siddharta, an up-and-coming alternative indie pop-rock artist, Porter, an experimental rock band, and the Mexican Institute of Sound will perform at the Río Babel Festival on Thursday 13 July.

Two other international artists will also take part in Veranos de la Villa: Susana Baca, a singer at the forefront of Afro-Peruvian music, Mexican performer Carla Morrison, an emerging alternative pop artist, and Antonio Zambujo, who is bringing fado and Portuguese music to the world's top stages. The trio The Mahotella Queens, who are leading exponents of South African music, are set to perform just days before Nelson Mandela Day (18 July).

Veranos de la Villa will bring the most experimental folk music to Madrid courtesy of Bitchin Bajas & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, who will perform in the city on 18 July. During the festival, Italian choreographer Alessandro Sciarroni will also present his new production Folk-s (22 and 23 August), a project based on the rhythms and rules of an ancient Bavarian-Tyrolean folk dance.

For the second year running, Madrid Suena will stage live poolside sessions by DJs and artists of various styles.  On 29 July and 5 August, the best black, electronica and house tunes will be played respectively at the San Blas Sports Centre and the Francos Rodríguez Sports Centre. In addition, artist Damian Schwarts will present his underwater music project Ambphi, created expressly for this occasion.

Icelandic composer Valgeir Sigurðsson will perform on 8 August at the auditorium in Las Cruces Park in La Latina, and Christina Rosenvinge will perform on 30 August in a concert in Quinta de los Molinos Park in which she will share her latest songs and her unique style, which also has a bit of an electronic bent.

Opera and the Classics

Carl Orff's Carmina Burana will also be featured at the festival this year, in a performance by the Spanish National Choir on 12 July in Plaza Mayor, coinciding with the celebrations surrounding the square's 400th anniversary. Next, on 21 July, Santiago Auserón will review some of his greatest hits, accompanied by the Municipal Symphonic Band of Madrid, in the outdoor Pilar García Peña Auditorium in Pinar del Rey Park in Hortaleza.

Stile Antico, which is considered one of the finest early music vocal ensembles, will perform in Madrid for the first time on 22 July at the portico of the main entrance to Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery (Cementerio de la Almudena). In addition, soprano Raquel Andueza, alongside theorbo player Jesús Fernández Baena, will devote a concert to Monteverdi in the historic El Capricho Park.

The Flamenco of Yesterday and Today

Sunday 2 July marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Camarón de la Isla. In this edition, Veranos de la Villa wanted to pay a special tribute to the flamenco singer with a concert in Conde Duque Cultural Centre, courtesy of Madrid-born saxophonist and flute player Jorge Pardo.

In a more experimental tessitura, young flamenco singer Rosalía will give a performance in Cuña Verde Park (23 July). Rosalía will delight the audience with her magnificent vocal technique, and will be accompanied by some special guests: the Milagros Choir, made up of students at a state school in the neighbourhood of Ventilla-Almenara in Tetuán. Veranos de la Villa will also feature an unprecedented team-up of two of contemporary flamenco's top voices: El Pele and Pedro El Granaíno, who will be accompanied by flamenco dancer Pastora Galván. The performance will take place on 27 July in the auditorium in Manzanares Linear Park (Parque Lineal del Manzanares).

Circus and Puppet Shows

Following the success of the last edition, the Veladas de Circo evening circus performances will be held again this year, spread across four days during which various troupes will offer shows and music for the whole family: Twisting the Balance, Nueveuno and Orquesta Carnival on 16 July; Twisting the Balance, Vaivén Circo and (Rêve)² on 30 July; Twisting the Balance, Hotel Iocandi and Quim Bigas on 20 August; and Twisting the Balance, the Vaques Company and Quim Bigas on 27 August.

Teatro Circo Price will also host two shows for all members of the public: Bobines, by French troupe L´Attraction Céleste, from 5 to 7 July, and Rudo, by the Manolo Alcántara Company, a tribute to hard work that recognises  our endeavours, from 12 to 14 July.

Veranos de la Villa will also offer various nights of puppet shows in the Theatre in El Retiro Park. On 2 August, Vulgarcito, the La Chana Company and illusionist Hugo Suárez, among others, will tell stories and offer entertaining shows for all audiences. On 3 August the spotlight will turn to the marionettes of Rodorín and José Antonio López Parreño.

Dance, Theatre, Poetry…

On 19 and 20 July, María Jerez will give a performance in Aluche Yabba, showcasing forms in motion and continual transformation. Pablo Larraín and Roberto Farías will bring their work Acceso to the festival (23 and 24 July at Cineteca), a monologue delivered by a young man from Santiago de Chile who earns a living by selling goods in a queue for the bus. For its part, the contemporary dance company Losdedae, directed by choreographer Chevi Muraday, will perform the production Sumérgete in Madrid (19 August).

Poetry will also have a place this summer, with an array of very different activities and offerings. On 26 July there will be a Poetry Night featuring the participation of Norma Fierro, Ajo & Judit Farrés and Saul Williams, and on the 28th of the same month there will be a tribute to Gloria Fuertes in Lavapiés.

A Fun-Filled Festival

The main aim of Veranos de la Villa, however, is once again to ensure that the general public has fun. Various participative events will be held this year, including a salsa and dance night courtesy of the La-33 Orchestra (20 July), a group dance class in front of the Royal Palace (6 August) and a milonga night in Berlín Park (16 August). On 17 August there will be film, music and magic with bewitched zarzuelas courtesy of filmmaker Segundo de Chomón. Still more zarzuela will follow on 24 August. Coinciding with the 120th anniversary of La Revoltosa (The Troublemaker), the Silent Band will play live music to accompany a screening of the film version by Florián Rey, a true gem of Spanish silent film.