ARTISTIC DIRECTION

The Teatro Español and the Naves del Español at Matadero are part of my life. My father acted in the Teatro Español and it was here too that I discovered contemporary dance with my mother. On this stage, I fell in love with Giorgio Strehler's light and with his idea of Goldoni. I have seen great actors from this country and from abroad. I have learnt with them. As a member of the audience, I know every floor of this theatre. I was at the opening of the Margarita Xirgu hall. I was also at the inauguration of the Naves at Matadero; I had that fascinating sensation of taking part in a cultural change in Madrid. A place we were proud to be a part of; we discovered another way of looking at the Legazpi neighbourhood, the river exuded culture...

Everyone who has managed these spaces has brought their point of view and their talent to them. That is why I have such respect for them and why they make me want to dedicate myself in body and soul to the task that has been entrusted to me. I would like to thank all the teams that have preceded me. These spaces radiate grandeur, entertainment, talent, light. They resound with applause, laughter and sighs.

It is a tempting challenge, an extraordinary adventure that I embrace with a sense of responsibility and with enthusiasm, dedication, joy and curiosity. My intention, on assuming this role as director, is to create, together with this wonderful team, a heterogeneous territory that is a reference point for the performing arts, for thought, and for other forms of creation. I am interested in the energy that springs from exchanges, from processes and from encounters. We are going to pursue that created and shared life, from its multifarious forms and confluences. Promoting talent, with children, young people, adults and seniors in mind, but also groups, different capacities... In search of new spectators through presentations and performances, where there is room for generosity and inclusion. It is a question of becoming aware in order to live with one another in greater harmony, where pedagogy must be a fundamental action. We will create a magazine that will bring together thinkers, scholars, creators and spectators. Fostering an active cosmos, a suggestive meeting, in which to present the programme and its transversal activities, as well as reflections, cultural notes, etc... We will use our limited resources to grow, to investigate and to enjoy. An inclusive, diverse, plural management amidst the diverse scenic and artistic languages.

Questioning what we are experiencing and delving into it through research. Establishing spaces of creativity under construction, as well as finished processes. Creation sparks relationships; we are attracted to the idea of being able to establish them inside and outside the theatres, with all manner of people and with ourselves. We are attracted as much to the unclassifiable as to what can be labelled. Committing to tolerance, dialogue and good manners. Developing, through communication and by reflecting on this management, a social commitment to a non-violent aesthetic. Culture is important for a better coexistence. Theatre is in dialogue with the arts, it interacts with the street, with people; theatrical events are not isolated from other cultural and social events, they often reflect or influence them. This will be another of our endeavours, to be part of those movements. We will sail with the tide and against the tide, with the wind and against the wind. We will set our hearts on the spectator and on the creator, without calling the balance into question. Taking care of both of them, their variety, their plurality and their differences ... Listening to the audience, we will pay close heed to their insights so that, as far as possible, we can address them. We will also explore the silences, the shadows and the invisible. We will try to guide the public in whatever it needs. The Teatro Español and the Naves del Español will have a continuous programme and each space will have its own peculiarities, which we will gradually refine. To do so, our communication will be practical and inspiring.

With dignity, humility and humour, we will decipher the proposals, to journey on a pilgrimage through the theatre of today, as well as through our references, our tradition and our repertoire, converging with both spontaneous creations and others created by young people. The Plataforma project will allow us to place value on independent creation, in what is a clear commitment to emerging talent.

In addition, we will honour our older professionals with projects such as La Senior. This is a time of memory and opportunity. We will introduce work dynamics to an open and flexible company, where specific training will be given to actors over 65 years of age. We will organise meetings between veterans and young creators, between experts and children, and we will invite directors and other professionals from different artistic and cultural disciplines to collaborate with us. Senior members of the public will be able to attend these meetings.

With Teatro de la Mano, we will open a line of action that has to do with technical creativity; we will raise the awareness and appreciation of many of the crafts within the performing arts. In addition, in our training space, we will provide technical residences to cater for less valued theatrical professions such as assistant directorships, or to carry out research into Europe's oldest theatre: the Teatro Español.

We will endeavour to coordinate shared projects, in which various managers will bring their own vision to cycles or festivals dedicated to the family, to concerts performed by actors, or to urban culture. We will launch this process with Vividero, a family project that will address a range of family-related creations through performances, dramatised readings, workshops and discussions. On this occasion, we will be led by the stage director Olga Margallo and the playwright Itziar Pascual.

The Teatro Español and the Naves del Español at Matadero face each other once again. Let's take advantage of this opportunity, let’s encourage transversal actions between them that will make each and every one of their spaces more attractive to visit. These stages are part of a cultural urbanism. We must keep our ears tuned so we can converse with the pulse of the city. We will keep an eye on the cultural events that take place in Madrid so that we can add our vision to them. Moreover, we will seek alliances, covenants and agreements with various institutions in Spain and overseas. Feeling the cultural and social heartbeat of the world, choosing with awareness and pleasure actions that unite us and others that set us apart.

Let's weigh anchor to imagine myriad creative voyages, to find the issues that move us. We will be several teams in one, the one that looks, the one that does, the one that listens, the one that speaks, the one that asks, the tortoise and the hare. We care about a higher quality organic co-existence, a return to the wonder of nature.

Culture is appealing to us. It calls upon fiction, myths, ideas and the senses. A theatre exists in relation to a city, a country, a temperature, in relation to other bodies, in how they respond to each other, how they influence each other, how they put each other to the test. Theatre provokes group searches. Every day, the challenge goes out to invent different forms of encounters between artists, technicians and spectators. Different ways of sharing, exchanging or transmitting. Let's dwell on them. Capturing the world in a different way; truths and pleasures can emerge, the out-of-date, the useless, the absurd, talking about things and taking our time to talk about them, without running. Like when you go for a walk... Putting voracious time on hold, casting aside the anxiety of everyday life and immediacy, lightening your load and offering time that soars and dives; suggesting other times, how to live time in this territory of culture: the Español and the Naves del Español at Matadero.

Thank you.