Premiere: Eucharistic Year 1945

Streets of Bilbao

Music: S and  V. Olaeta

Choreography: S and V. Olaeta

SANMIG

In front of the Arretxinaga church there is a strange hermitage devoted to the Archangel Saint Michael. Since time immemorial the scene is represented of the angels’ rebellion and the triumph of Saint Michael, prince of the angel militias, over them. In other words the struggle between the prince of light against the prince of darkness.

 

Music: P. Donostia

Choreography: V. Olaeta 

zozo

Humorous ballet, in the style of mimicry, based on traditional music. A boy, a scarecrow and a blackbird appear. The boy befriends the blackbird and gives it a piece of “talo” (maize bread), but the blackbird pecks the boy’s hand, and the boy gets so angry because of the pain that he ends the poor animal’s life. 

Premiere: 30th June 2001

Gernika y Lumo

Music: Traditional Basque themes and José Franco

Choreography: V. Olaeta 

itxasoan

Basque scenes based on musical themes and on Franco’s “Arrantzaleak” work, with sea-based themes like the boga boga, Kaskarotak, Kaian and Kaixarranka

Premiere: 26th April 1942

Gure etchea, San Juan de Luz

Music: J. Uruñuela

Choreography: V. Olaeta 

CONTRAPAS

During the 18th century the Basque Country was open to all cultural influences, and the country’s dances were not scorned and were conciliated with the ballroom dances, thereby creating dances like the Contrapás and the Museta.

Premiere: 22nd December 1942

Biarritz

Music: Traditional

Choreography: V. Olaeta

suletina

Traditional dance represented by the edaridun or barmaid, who pretends to be a female character: the zamaltzain, who wears a wooden frame and cloth like a horse with a tiny head which represents the man-animal; the gatusain, which wears a wooden trellis which opens in zigzag, representing the lightening which brings the rain for the crops; the txerrero to banish the bad spirits. 

Premiere: 28th January 1938 in Paris

Music: S. Olaeta

Choreography: S. Olaeta

 


MESA

Scene about local customs created by Segundo de Olaeta in the 1920s, which covers the departure of the faithful from the High Mass and the subsequent procession attended by the authorities. 

Premiere: about 1930, when it was performed by the Elai Alai

Music: J. Guridi

Choreography: V. Olaeta 

pleniluin

Aitor etxea and Aitor mendi. These are the names of the dwelling and the place where Aitor’s descendants’ lived in the 18th century, the legendary Patriarch of the Basques. In the isolated peaks of the Pyrenees, when nearly all of the Basques looked to Christianity, there were still some Pagans who worshiped the star of the night and the light of the dead. In the faint white moonlight, some youths get involved in the ezpata dantza, vibrant symbol of the Basque spirit.

Premiere: 1967

USA

Musical Adaptation: V. Olaeta

Choreography: V. Olaeta 


show

Succession of 32 musical numbers of Basque Dance and Ballet choreographed for three tours of the USA and Canada.

Premiere: 22nd May 1959

Arriaga Theatre, Bilbao 

Music: J. Guridi-V. Olaeta

Choreography: V. Olaeta 

kasket

This is children’s Suite of a collection of traditional dances like suletinos. arku-dantza, makil dantza, sagi dantza, mutil dantza, ezpata dantza; aurresku de villa and anteiglesia, and contrapás and museta.

Premiere: 28th January 1938

Salle Marcellin Bertholet, Paris

Music: Traditional

Choreography: S. Olaeta

 


sagar

Dantza from the carnival of the Baztán valley. During the apple harvest and the Carnival, the youths from Baztán make a collection around the caseríos (farmhouses) dancing while they hold apples in their hands. 

Premiere: 7th June 1949

Gayarre Theatre, Pamplona

Music: P. Donostia , S. Olaeta and J. Uruñuela

Choreography: V. Olaeta

anteiglesia

The aurresku de anteiglesia (LUMOKO EREGLAK) is another beautiful example of Basque dance which has remained intact up to now and has been passed down from generation to generation in the caseríos (farmhouses) of Luno y Gernika. It represents the solemn and sacred folklore. This aurresku was recovered by Segundo Olaeta who passed it on to Víctor Olaeta and he in turn to his disciples.