In February 1930, three friends converged in New York City: the singer and bailaora Encarnación López Júlvez—known as La Argentinita, one of the most influential Spanish artists of the 20th century; her partner, the bullfighter, writer, and impresario Ignacio Sánchez Mejías; and the poet Federico García Lorca, who had been living at Columbia University since June 1929. During those days, Encarna performed in several of the city’s theaters, Ignacio lectured on bullfighting, and Lorca on poetry. But more importantly, in New York they conceived ideas and collaborations that would reshape the future of flamenco, expanding its expressive possibilities and projecting it onto international stages. The city became, through them, a catalyst for new forms—bridging flamenco with ballet, Spanish song, and modern artistic experimentation.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Flamenco Festival New York, the Library for the Performing Arts hosts a lecture by José Javier León on La Argentinita and the intersections of flamenco, Lorca, and Spanish cultural identity. The lecture will be followed by a live performance with artists who are also participating in the 25th anniversary of Flamenco Festival New York, bringing La Argentinita’s legacy to life through the very art form she helped transform.