Festival of Spanish Music and Dance – 25-27 July 2024
Talk: The Tragic History Of Felix Garcia
Saturday 27th July, 6pm
Pre-show History Talk by historian and musical director Antonio Hernandez Moreno.
Hear the fascinating and tragic story of Felix Garcia. Historian and musical director Antonio Hernandez Moreno describes the results of his long-term research into the Spanish dance prodigy and reveals the surprising evidence he has uncovered.
Felix was brought to London in 1918 by Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev to help to choreograph and star in the premiere of new ballet The Three-Cornered Hat – an artistic collaboration between The Russian Ballet, composers Falla and Ravel, and Pablo Picasso.
But after a dramatic falling-out shortly before opening night the following year, the teenage dancer was arrested, certified insane and committed to an Epsom asylum.
Declared dead to his family and the outside world, Félix was in fact confined secretly for another 22 years, until he died in 1941. He is buried in an unmarked mass grave at Horton Cemetery.
Tickets £10*
*A £2 per ticket booking fee applies when booking online and in person. The booking fee covers costs charged to the charity for the booking system and payment processing.
Illustration of Felix Garcia by Pablo Picasso.
