Dancer and choreographer Paula Comitre will present her new stage work, Bien vale un imperio, on 6 November 2026 at Matadero Madrid It was preceded by work on the piece during an artistic residency at a cortijo near Torrox at the Axarquía (Málaga). The local report describes rehearsals with changing tempos, longer run-throughs and striking props such as a Mantón de Manila and a large hat, which make the figure of Pastora Imperio visible as a point of reference.
The immediate occasion is the forthcoming premiere in Madrid; Matadero Madrid has Bien vale un imperio in its programme. Comitre approaches the historic dancer Pastora Imperio through movement and music, including allusions to El amor brujo by Manuel de Falla, which is closely associated with Imperio’s career. The version prepared in Andalusia is conceived as a contemporary reflection on the image, role and impact of an icon of the early 20th century.
The working period not far from the coast of Málaga took the form of a focused retreat. The report describes how the seclusion of the Sierra de Almijara and continuous rehearsals helped sharpen decisions and consolidate sequences. The residency is credited to producer Miguel Marín , whose home has hosted flamenco artists repeatedly in recent years. Names mentioned in this connection include Manuel Liñán, Olga Pericet, Rocío Molina and Rocío Márquez, in collaboration with Bronquio. For Comitre, the stay in Torrox marks a period of consolidation before the public presentation in Madrid.
Matadero Madrid presents the production as a new work by an artist who has spent several years exploring historic dancers and translating their biographies into a contemporary stage language. The premiere on 6 November 2026 is listed there as the first performance; further performances are scheduled immediately afterwards. The announcements emphasise the bridge between flamenco vocabulary and contemporary techniques, without folklorising the historical references.
The combination of residency work in Andalusia and visibility on a major Madrid stage points to a division of labour in the funding landscape: retreat and development in smaller, regionally rooted settings, followed by testing in the urban centre. For the Axarquía region, the format also brings cultural presence beyond the festival season; for Comitre, the premiere offers nationwide exposure within Spain’s dance and flamenco scene.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).