Choreography: Nacho Duato
Music: María del Mar Bonet (Tonada de Segar, Carta a L'Exili, Tonada de Collir Olives, Dansa de la Primavera, Cançó de Bressol, Des de Mallorca a L'Alguer, Den Itan Nisi, Tonada de Segar.
Sets: Walter Nobbe
Costumes: Nacho Duato Lighting Design: Edward Effron

Arenal was choreographed by Nacho Duato, inspired by the songs of María del Mar Bonet. In this ballet, the choreographer’s purpose is to show the uninhibited cheerfulness of the Mediterranean personality contrasting with the everyday struggle of life.
Duato makes this contrast very obvious. On one hand, there is the dancing of a group of men and women motivated by the pure joy of music. Its jubilation is reflected in the clear movements of the dancers pas de deux, pas de trois, pas de quatre to Greek songs translated into Catalonian, and Majorcan ones by María del Mar Bonet.
On the other hand, one female dancer stands apart, dancing alone to four songs which are performed a capella. These songs are realistic content and seem to arise from an agonizing outcry of the heart. The dancer’s movements are nearer to the ground than those of the others. This is to express the influence of the land. Colour, choreography, movement, everything is undeniably Mediterranean.
Nacho Duato had worked with María del Mar Bonet in another ballet, Jardí Tancat. “Her music constitutes an important source of inspiration for my work”, says the choreographer. “Later, while I was listening to her record Gavines I Dragons, the idea of Arenal immediately occurred to me. At once, I began to consider the possibility of María del Mar Bonet joining us to give a live performance of her songs”. Duato sees Arenal as an extension of his first work, Jardí Tancat. “It is more vital, more lively, more faithful to the inner rhythm of the songs themselves, without abandoning the worlds of people and of work”.