'Ba'alot': A Flamenco Opera Reviving Ancient Canaanite Mythology

Ba'al is an ancient Canaanite rain god, and we connect with him through the new performance, 'Ba'alot,' by the Israeli Flamenco Group. This show brings to the stage the Canaanite spirit blowing from the stories of the local goddesses, who constituted a significant part of the pantheon from which the Hebrew Bible drew considerable inspiration. The performance connects the ancient history of the Land of Israel with flamenco culture, which many of its adherents view as a religion in every sense.

Before becoming a modern art genre, flamenco, which originated in the Gypsy-Spanish folklore, was an element in religious rites that included gatherings in small, crowded spaces, singing and playing music, prayer, and dance. Over the years, flamenco developed into a language understood and known only to those involved in it, almost like a secret religion. Every flamenco rhythm has its own name, function, and characteristics, bestowing upon it the status of a living, independent, and vital entity, connecting it to a specific aspect of human life.

Similarly, the gods and goddesses from Canaanite mythology are personifications of various aspects of human culture and nature, which transforms them into metaphorical entities with eternal significance.

To the contemporary hymns written by Assi Meshulam and composed by Talia Yona Kaliger, is added the choreography of Michal Natan, who connects the different flamenco rhythms to the archetypal meanings of the songs, turning the project into a meaningful and allegorical work for our time.

From Wednesday, January 17, 2026, at 9:00 PM, Suzanne Dellal Center.

You are invited to watch the video:

(Photo: Ziv Barak)