Inspiración at Teatro Flamenco Barcelona
One hour of dance, song and guitar in a small theatre in El Born, with General, Premium and VIP options.
From the door to the street
How the hour runs
Four stages, from the door to the street.
- Arrive
Doors and the room
Doors open before the show begins, and the venue advises being in the room about twenty minutes ahead. Its site says arrival order decides seating, so turning up early is the one lever you control.
- Settle
Your drink
General and Premium include a welcome drink. The VIP option includes unlimited drinks service during the show. Check the details of your own option on the booking page before the night.
- Watch
Inspiración
The show runs for one hour. The venue describes dance, song and guitar performed together by a cast that changes every week, and says each performance is different. Listen as much as you watch.
- Leave
Back into the lanes
The theatre stands in the old city, so the quarter's restaurants and bars are on hand when the show ends. The VIP option adds a meet-and-greet with the artists after the show.
El Born, the setting
An old quarter that once met the sea
Where El Born came from
El Born is the lower part of La Ribera, which Wikipedia describes as a prosperous quarter from the 1200s to the 1400s, when it stood on the shore. It grew up outside the Roman walls as a merchant and maritime hub. Today it is a quarter of narrow lanes, galleries, small shops and bars, and the theatre stands inside it on Carrer dels Abaixadors.
A church the neighbourhood built
Santa Maria del Mar went up between 1329 and 1383 and is a leading example of Catalan Gothic. Wikipedia adds that the common people backed its construction, with the guilds of the Ribera quarter involved, instead of the nobility. Wikipedia calls the church the focal point of the neighbourhood the theatre belongs to.
An Andalusian art with a Barcelona chapter
Flamenco grew in Andalusia, and UNESCO names Andalusia as its core region. Barcelona still wrote part of the story. The seafront district of Somorrostro gave the world the dancer Carmen Amaya, and Catalan rumba grew out of the city's Romani community in the fifties and sixties. An evening in El Born belongs to a Barcelona story as well as an Andalusian one.
Ears open: six palos
Six palos to listen for
Palos are flamenco's named forms; each carries its own rhythm and mood, and Wikipedia lists over fifty. These six turn up in most guides to the art, and any of them may appear on a given night.
- 01 Martinete
Voice alone
Martinete is sung without guitar, so the singer's voice carries everything, sometimes marked by palmas. The venue's own blog links it to the blacksmith's forge, where hammer blows on the anvil shaped the rhythm. Dancers sometimes use it for sober, forceful pieces.
- 02 Soleá
The slow, deep one
Soleá belongs to the cante jondo family, the deep song that Wikipedia links to the hardship and marginalisation of the Romani people. Its twelve-beat cycle gives it a solemn weight, and it is one of the forms most closely tied to Romani music.
- 03 Siguiriya
The same twelve beats, shifted
Siguiriya also runs on twelve beats, but its strong beats fall in different places. Wikipedia notes that if you start counting a soleá on its eighth beat you get the siguiriya rhythm. Manuel de Falla regarded it as the core song of cante jondo, as Lorca recorded.
- 04 Tangos
Not the Argentine tango
Flamenco tangos share only a name with Argentine tango. Wikipedia says the Instituto Andaluz del Flamenco places the form's early development between Cádiz and Seville. It is a lively four-beat palo, and one of the basic styles you will hear.
- 05 Farruca
A Catalan thread, maybe
Wikipedia's article on palos says the farruca and the garrotín were folk songs that probably came from Asturias and Catalonia. Its farruca article links the form to Galicia and says the origin is not settled. Either way it became a showcase for dance and solo guitar.
- 06 Fandangos
The free-rhythm family
The fandango family includes the malagueña and the granaína. Wikipedia says some of these are sung in free rhythm, without a fixed compás. Fandangos were first sung and played to support a dance of the same name, and Wikipedia says they are now often sung as free-rhythm songs.
What gets played is the artists' decision, and the cast changes weekly according to the venue. Use this as a field guide for your ears, not as a running order.
General, Premium or VIP
Which option for the same hour
| The option | What it adds | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| General | Admission to the show with a welcome drink. | A first flamenco night on a plain ticket. |
| Premium | Admission with a welcome drink. The option details say what separates it from General. | Anyone who has read those details and prefers it. |
| VIP | A meet-and-greet with the artists after the show, skip-the-line entry and unlimited drinks service during the show. | Celebrations, and guests who want to talk to the artists. |
| Large groups | The venue asks bigger parties to contact it directly and also hosts private events. | Teams, parties and celebrations. |
The ticket in brief
What your ticket gets you
A few facts to read before you pay.
- The show
- Inspiración, one hour of flamenco: dance, song and guitar performed together. The venue says the cast changes from week to week.
- The address
- Carrer dels Abaixadors 10, in El Born, 08003 Barcelona.
- General
- Admission to the show with a welcome drink.
- Premium
- Admission to the show with a welcome drink. The option details on the booking page show how it differs from General.
- VIP
- VIP treatment: a meet-and-greet with the artists after the show, skip-the-line entry and unlimited drinks service during the show.
- Seats
- The venue's site says guests are seated strictly in the order they arrive.
- Doors
- Doors open before the show begins. The venue advises being in the room about twenty minutes ahead.
- Access
- Wheelchair users are covered by the GetYourGuide ticket, and the venue's reservation form lets you flag reduced mobility.
- Cancelling
- Through GetYourGuide you can book now and settle later, and a cancellation a day ahead returns your money.
Stone, iron and stage
Stone, iron and stage
These photographs show Santa Maria del Mar, the iron roof of the former Mercat del Born, a datestone on Carrer dels Abaixadors and flamenco performers on stage. No picture here shows the theatre's interior.
Book the hour
The Inspiración ticket
One ticket, three options: General, Premium or VIP. Pick the date below, then read the details of the option you choose.
While you are in Barcelona
Practicalities
Before you go
01
Where it is
Carrer dels Abaixadors 10, 08003 Barcelona, in El Born, part of Ciutat Vella. The lanes around it are narrow and old, so allow a few minutes to find the door and use the street address in your map app.
02
Arriving
Check your confirmation for the start time of your date. Doors open before the show, and the venue advises being in the room about twenty minutes ahead. Guests are seated strictly in arrival order, so earlier is better.
03
Drinks
General and Premium include a welcome drink, and VIP includes unlimited drinks service during the show. Anything beyond what your option states is yours to arrange with the venue.
04
Changing plans
A GetYourGuide booking cancelled a full day before the show is refunded in full. If you book with the venue directly, its own policy lets you move the date until a day before.
05
Access and children
Wheelchair users are covered by the GetYourGuide ticket, and the venue's reservation form lets you flag reduced mobility. The venue's site describes a family-friendly audience, so ask about age guidance before bringing very young children.
06
The words
Songs are sung in Spanish, and the feeling carries further than the lyrics. The venue's blog suggests that knowing the history of each palo deepens the show, which is what the listening guide above is for.
Guides to the theatre, El Born and flamenco in Barcelona
Guides to the theatre, El Born and flamenco in Barcelona
- 01 Which ticket to book
Teatro Flamenco Barcelona
How the Inspiración show at Teatro Flamenco Barcelona works, what General, Premium and VIP add, and which ticket suits a first flamenco night in El Born. Turn to this guide → - 02 Andalusian art, Catalan city
Flamenco in Barcelona
Flamenco is Andalusian by birth, yet Barcelona gave it Carmen Amaya, the Catalan rumba and perhaps the farruca. A short history for a night in El Born. Turn to this guide → - 03 Doors, seats and manners
Arriving at the theatre
Where Teatro Flamenco Barcelona is, when to arrive, how seating works and how to behave in the room, from the venue's own pages and the booking page. Turn to this guide → - 04 Before and after
El Born around the show
The old quarter around Teatro Flamenco Barcelona: Santa Maria del Mar, the iron roof of the Mercat del Born and Carrer de Montcada, before or after the show. Turn to this guide → - 05 A listening guide
Six palos to listen for
A plain-English guide to six flamenco palos, soleá, siguiriya, tangos, martinete, farruca and the fandangos, for a first night at the theatre. Turn to this guide → - 06 How to be a good audience
Palmas, jaleo and olé
What the clapping, the calls and the guitar are doing in a flamenco show, and how a first-time audience can listen well without spoiling the sound. Turn to this guide →
FAQ
Questions before you book in El Born
How long does Inspiración last?
The show runs for one hour. Doors open before it begins, and your confirmation prints the start time for your date.
Does the theatre run this site?
No. This guide is independent of Teatro Flamenco Barcelona and its artists. The booking itself happens on GetYourGuide, through the buttons on this page.
Should I choose General, Premium or VIP?
General suits most first visits. Choose VIP if the meet-and-greet with the artists or the unlimited drinks service is the point of the evening, and read the Premium details before choosing between it and General.
Is a drink included?
General and Premium include a welcome drink, and VIP includes unlimited drinks service during the show. The option details on the booking page give the exact terms.
Can I choose my seat?
The venue seats guests strictly as they arrive, so being early is your best lever. Read the details of your option for anything more.
Where is the theatre?
At Carrer dels Abaixadors 10, 08003 Barcelona, in the El Born part of the old city. It sits among narrow lanes, in the same old quarter as the church of Santa Maria del Mar.
Is the theatre accessible?
Wheelchair users are covered by the GetYourGuide ticket, and the venue's reservation form lets you flag reduced mobility.
Can I cancel or move my booking?
A GetYourGuide booking cancelled a full day ahead is refunded in full. The venue's own policy permits a date change until a day before the show.
One hour of guitar, song and dance in the old lanes of El Born.
Reserve your hour ↗Fares change with the option and the date. The booking widget shows the current fare in your own currency.