“A dancer you need to see at least once in your lifetime!”

Where Nijinsky broke open ballet, Galván breaks open flamenco. —— The Guardian

Israel Galván’s La Consagración de la Primavera (The Rite of Spring) at Sadler's Wells is an absorbing distillation of a century of Western culture through the medium of flamenco. —— Culture Whisper

Spanish flamenco superstar Israel Galván will take on the classic The Rite of Spring, which has been reinterpreted countless times over the past century. Dancing to the orchestral score arranged for two pianos, Israel Galván will reinterpret this classic with the freewheeling soul of flamenco and the intense emotional style of contemporary dance. He combines the tense, vertical rhythms of the music with relaxed, streamlined bodily movements, incorporating intricate rhythms through tapping and scraping with his toes. Engaging in a dialogue with the two pianists, he presents an unprecedented rendition of La Consagración de la Primavera (The Rite of Spring).

Choreographer & Artistic Director／Israel Galván 

A superstar in the world of flamenco, Israel Galván was born to dancer parents and grew up immersed in a dance environment. In 1994, he joined the Andalusian Dance Company led by the influential flamenco artist Mario Maya. In 1998, he established his own dance company and released his first work, ¡Mira! Los Zapatos Rojos (Look! The Red Shoes), quickly rising to fame with his unique personal style. His works, such as Metamorphosis (adapted from Kafka’s novel), Arena (bringing Spanish bullfighting to the stage), and La Edad de Oro (The Golden Age), showcasing the glory of flamenco, have gained him international recognition and nearly all major flamenco artistic achievement awards. In 2023, he received the UK National Dance Award for Outstanding Male Modern Performance. 

Pianist／HEN Chao-hui 

CHEN Chao-hui holds a Doctorate in Piano Performance from the Taipei National University of the Arts. In 2006, under the baton of conductor CHIEN Wen-pin, she performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) at the National Concert Hall, earning the Bank SinoPac and Philharmonic Radio Taipei Classical Elite Award. CHEN Chao-hui actively participates in various performances, including orchestral, chamber music, opera, and art songs. Since 2014, she has been involved with the children’s musical theater group Musical Treats - Children’s Music Workshop, which promotes classical music appreciation. In 2015, she founded the Toboss Chamber Music Group which presents multiple themed chamber music concerts at the National Concert Hall. 

Pianist／TSAI Shih-hao  

TSAI Shih-hao holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts from the Taipei National University of the Arts. He obtained a Chamber Music Artist Diploma from the École normale de musique de Paris Alfred Cortot with unanimous approval from the entire jury. He currently teaches at the departments of music at National Taiwan University, Fu Jen Catholic University, and Shih Chien University. His performance repertoire includes solo, concerto, chamber music, and vocal accompaniment. He is frequently invited to perform at international music festivals, serve as a judge for international piano competitions, and conduct master classes. Notable appearances include a solo recital at the Mountain View Performing Arts Center in San Francisco, the premiere of a chamber work Reginedager at Norway’s Culture Festival, performances at the Olivier Messiaen centennial series in Ville d’Avray, Paris, and serving as a judge at the Concours de piano Challenge d’Aliènor de Parempuyre in France in 2016 and 2017.