Alicante Teatro Winter-Spring Season: Major Dance, Theater, and Music Lineup

The Alicante Teatro opens the year with a fully developed winter-spring program that stretches from February through June. In total, thirty new performances are added, including Jose Maria Pou and the Father, the first work directed by a native of Alicante, Fele Martinez, and Pets, as well as Nacho Duato’s new company. These join the twenty-five productions announced in the November season preview, along with children’s and youth offerings such as Children and Stories, Behind the Scenes Stories on Stage, and Young People in the Principal. The result is a total of sixty-five shows, a schedule designed to ensure audiences do not lose track of what Alicante Coliseum has to offer this year.

The theater’s deputy director, Maria Dolores Padilla, noted that attendance continues to rise, with a 15 percent increase from the previous year. Last year saw 85,488 spectators in 2022 and 97,575 in 2023. Padilla highlighted the core goals of the venue, emphasizing the support for Alicante-produced work, the ambition to catch up with national levels, and the commitment to sustaining premiere national productions, thereby elevating the director’s profile across the country.

By contrast, Abel Guarino, the general director of the Valencian Cultural Institute, spoke of a delicate balance in the season’s final proposals, including Edward Albee’s work scheduled for the Principal on May 3. The program also features Valencian writers such as Juan Luis Mira, Rodolfo Sirera, and Magüi Mira, alongside international contacts like Albee, Wajdi Mouawad, and Florian Zeller. He described Zeller as one of the foremost voices in contemporary French dramaturgy, weaving classical lyrics with modern musical expressions. The season also promises performances from Sara Baras and María Pages, a rich musical lineup, and dance pieces that explore themes of love, memory, and movement, blending dance and drama in innovative ways.

“Salomé” with Berto Romero, Sara Baras, Belén Rueda and “Cielos” by Peris-Mencheta at the Principal in Alicante in 2024

new offerings begin with a theatrical production titled Hidden Voice by Adam Rapp, starring Toni Acosta and Omar Ayuso, opening April 7. On April 14, Daniel Veronese’s work Their Friends continues, featuring Malena Alterio and David Lorente as a couple whose dinner with friends never arrives. The piece examines the illusion of marriage and the dynamics of relationships. On May 3, a delicate balance returns to the stage, with six actors including Alicia Borrachero and Manuela Velasco questioning the stability of the home.

The production titled Company Animals marks Fele Martínez’s directorial debut on the stage. The program continues with studies led by Juan Luis Mira, as the director celebrates his 175th anniversary with productions that include May 12 and May 17, when the Alicante native makes his directorial debut with Pets, a play featuring Carmen Ruiz and Laura Galán among others. A black comedy titled A form question, explored on May 19, addresses the limits of art and the manipulation of relationships in a provocative setting.

A May production in the Valencian calendar features the work of Juan Luis Mira, who celebrates a milestone with a set of shows including a return to the stage of widowed brides. On May 12 and 17, Mira directs in Alicante with Pets, a dinner-theater experience that brings together friends for an evening of performances and conversation. Following this, a second production of Neill LaBute’s exploration of human vanity and relational power grounds the program in sharp, unsettling humor.

There is a June lineup in Spanish theater and a series called Tablas and More Tablas, where Carmen appears alongside other dramatic works. The figure of Carmen Díez de Rivera, portrayed by Monica López, forms a central thread in this portion of the season, which also features a production by Adolfo Suárez’s former chief of staff, Juanjo Llorens. The season then closes with a piece related to Florian Zeller, recognized as one of the leading theater voices since its Paris premiere in 2012. Josep María Mestres and the broader cast cast memory in a show that confronts the fragility of memory itself as it unfolds on stage.

The Nacho Duato Company marks another milestone in the current program, highlighting the collaboration with the renowned choreographer and his troupe as a highlight of the dance season. The ensemble performs a range of works that showcase contemporary choreography at its most expressive and daring, featuring new youth pieces alongside signature works such as Jardí Tancat, Duende, and Na Florestas, with several performances scheduled through June 5.

Dance

The National Ballet of Cuba, under the direction of Alicia Alonso, presents Don Quixote on April 23. A separate program titled Dance in April includes a performance from outer space and a presentation scheduled for April 30. Maria Pages will present a flamenco-inspired evening titled Sheherazade, emphasizing feminine expression across twelve choreographies in May. Nacho Duato returns with a young company, presenting Jardí Tancat, Duende, and Na Florestas, reinforcing his influence on contemporary staging through the early days of June.

Music

The musical calendar features Paco Candelas, nominated for a Latin Grammy, presenting his work Plastic Heart on April 21. The Queen’s Symphonic Rhapsody returns on April 18 and 19, followed by an ABBA-inspired international tribute concert with songs by the legendary Swedish group on April 25. International Jazz Day shines on April 28 in its twelfth edition. Valencian singer Francisco celebrates his 40th anniversary on May 24, while Pep Gimeno Botifarra offers a concert on May 26 and Alicante percussionist Pakito Baeza performs with his band on May 29 in a Latin jazz evening. Camilo Sesto’s singing show To live like this is to die of love arrives for two performances on June 6, and Valeria Castro closes the concerts with her debut album on June 13.

The play Carmen, nothing from anyone by Mónica López returns as a notable title in this period.

Humor takes center stage with Santi Rodríguez on April 26, followed by Luis Piedrahita on April 30 and May 1, and Edu Soto on June 8 with a program titled Better than flying. The season also features a broader comedy slate across the spring months.

Premieres

Teatro Principal Chorus unveils a new production on April 27, a tribute to the beginnings of humanity. Juan Luis Mira is scheduled to premiere a musical about the rain later in the season, and a collaboration with Ü Teatro is set for April 6. A revival of a popular 80s and 90s musical will conclude with a four-performance run from March 21 to 24, marking a remarkable moment in the national stage.

Tickets

Tickets are available through Teatro Príncipe de Alicante’s regular channels, with box office hours from 12:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 21:00, as well as online through the venue’s official pages. This information is provided for planning purposes and attendees are encouraged to check current listings for any changes. Citations note that ticketing and program updates are ongoing and should be verified ahead of attendance.