Algarabía at Abu Dhabi Festival 2026

CO-PRODUCED BY ADMAF, MUSEO UNIVERSIDAD DE NAVARRA & KHAWLA ART & CULTURE Arab Culture World Premiere Following its sold-out world premiere in Pamplona, Spain, in March 2026, 'Algarabía' makes its Arab world premiere in Abu Dhabi. Co-produced by Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), Museo Universidad de Navarra and Khawla Art & Culture, this newly commissioned work celebrates the wisdom of culture as a force for dialogue and connection. Building a bridge between the Arab world and flamenco, it draws on rich musical, dance and poetic traditions, reinterpreting them through a contemporary lens. About the Artists University of Navarra Symphony Orchestra The University of Navarra Symphony Orchestra (Orquesta Sinfónica Universidad de Navarra) is a distinguished student ensemble based in Pamplona, Spain, bringing together university-aged musicians across the institution. Under the guidance of esteemed professionals, the orchestra offers students the opportunity to broaden their musical experience in a quality symphonic setting. Throughout the year, the orchestra rehearses regularly, often in collaboration with renowned soloists and conductors, and presents public concerts featuring classical works by major composers, including Mozart, Bruch and Dvořák in recent seasons. Inspired by the orchestras of the most prestigious universities in the United States of America and Central Europe, it consolidates the presence of the arts and music in the university environment and has come to consolidate itself as a young orchestra of reference. It is currently working to strengthen links and exchanges with other national and international university institutions through music. Jesús Carmona, Dancer & Choreographer A dancer and choreographer born in Barcelona in 1985, Jesús Carmona is widely recognised as one of the leading figures in Spanish dance and contemporary flamenco. A graduate of the Institut del Teatre in Barcelona, he joined the Ballet Nacional de España and was appointed principal dancer in 2007. After leaving the company, Carmona developed an acclaimed career as a choreographer and performer. His works include 'Ímpetus', 'Súper-Viviente' and 'Baile de Bestias', which received the Max Award in 2022. In 2023, he was appointed artistic director of the Ballet Español de la Comunidad de Madrid and launched its first season at Teatros del Canal. He has performed internationally at major theatres and festivals, including Sadler’s Wells and leading venues in Europe and the United States. His honours include the Ojo Crítico Award in 2019, the Spanish National Dance Prize for creation in 2020 and the Benois de la Danse in 2021. His work is noted for its technical precision and a contemporary, emotionally expressive approach to flamenco and Spanish dance. Borja Quintas, Conductor The conductor Borja Quintas has performed in most European capitals and in the Middle East, in countries including Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, conducting some of the world’s finest orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra and the New Russia Symphony Orchestra. With scholarships from various organisations, including the Barrié de la Maza Foundation, he studied conducting at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory under Professor Vladimir Ponkin, earning the Red Diploma of Excellence, a distinction awarded to graduates with the highest academic performance. He has always combined the symphonic and lyrical worlds, cultivating different genres such as theatre, flamenco, sacred drama and audiovisual media. He has collaborated with artists as diverse as Roque Baños, Kuzma Bodrov, Dmitry Krymov, Lucas Vidal, Lucero Tena, Valery Sokolov and Ara Malikian, and has worked with singers including Plácido Domingo, Javier Camarena, María Bayo and Ainhoa Arteta, among many others. He has also immersed himself significantly in 20th and 21st-century music, recording for labels such as Naxos. Strongly committed to young symphonic ensembles as a driving force of art and social change, he is currently the artistic director of the JMJ Symphony Orchestra, Choir and Children’s Choir, the University of Navarra Symphony Orchestra, the CSMA Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras and the UCAM Symphony Orchestra. Quintas also teaches orchestral conducting at t