Premiere: Eucharistic Year 1945
Streets of Bilbao
Music: S and V. Olaeta
Choreography: S and V. Olaeta
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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Premiere: about 1930, when it was performed by the Elai Alai
Music: J. Guridi
Choreography: V. Olaeta
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
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
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
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
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.
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