University of Navarra Symphony OrchestraThe University of Navarra Symphony Orchestra (Orquesta Sinfónica Universidad de Navarra) is a distinguished student ensemble based in Pamplona, Spain, bringing together university-aged musicians across the institution. Under the guidance of esteemed professionals, the orchestra offers students the opportunity to broaden their musical experience in a quality symphonic setting.
Throughout the year, the orchestra rehearses regularly, often in collaboration with renowned soloists and conductors, and presents public concerts featuring classical works by major composers, including Mozart, Bruch and Dvořák in recent seasons.
Inspired by the orchestras of the most prestigious universities in the United States of America and Central Europe, it consolidates the presence of the arts and music in the university environment and has come to consolidate itself as a young orchestra of reference. It is currently working to strengthen links and exchanges with other national and international university institutions through music.
Jesús Carmona, Dancer & Choreographer
A dancer and choreographer born in Barcelona in 1985, Jesús Carmona is widely recognised as one of the leading figures in Spanish dance and contemporary flamenco. A graduate of the Institut del Teatre in Barcelona, he joined the Ballet Nacional de España and was appointed principal dancer in 2007.
After leaving the company, Carmona developed an acclaimed career as a choreographer and performer. His works include 'Ímpetus', 'Súper-Viviente' and 'Baile de Bestias', which received the Max Award in 2022. In 2023, he was appointed artistic director of the Ballet Español de la Comunidad de Madrid and launched its first season at Teatros del Canal.
He has performed internationally at major theatres and festivals, including Sadler’s Wells and leading venues in Europe and the United States. His honours include the Ojo Crítico Award in 2019, the Spanish National Dance Prize for creation in 2020 and the Benois de la Danse in 2021. His work is noted for its technical precision and a contemporary, emotionally expressive approach to flamenco and Spanish dance.
Borja Quintas, Conductor
The conductor Borja Quintas has performed in most European capitals and in the Middle East, in countries including Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, conducting some of the world’s finest orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra and the New Russia Symphony Orchestra.
With scholarships from various organisations, including the Barrié de la Maza Foundation, he studied conducting at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory under Professor Vladimir Ponkin, earning the Red Diploma of Excellence, a distinction awarded to graduates with the highest academic performance.
He has always combined the symphonic and lyrical worlds, cultivating different genres such as theatre, flamenco, sacred drama and audiovisual media. He has collaborated with artists as diverse as Roque Baños, Kuzma Bodrov, Dmitry Krymov, Lucas Vidal, Lucero Tena, Valery Sokolov and Ara Malikian, and has worked with singers including Plácido Domingo, Javier Camarena, María Bayo and Ainhoa Arteta, among many others. He has also immersed himself significantly in 20th and 21st-century music, recording for labels such as Naxos.
Strongly committed to young symphonic ensembles as a driving force of art and social change, he is currently the artistic director of the JMJ Symphony Orchestra, Choir and Children’s Choir, the University of Navarra Symphony Orchestra, the CSMA Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras and the UCAM Symphony Orchestra.
Quintas also teaches orchestral conducting at the Aragon Conservatory of Music and is academic director of the Katarina Gurska Higher School’s Master in Conducting programme. He was recently invited to serve as a jury member at the Second Sergei Rachmaninov International Conducting, Composition and Piano Competition in Moscow.
Ignacio García, Dramaturg
Born in Madrid, Ignacio García is an international stage director specialising in opera and theatre. He has held senior artistic roles including Associate Director of Teatro Español in Madrid, Artistic Director of the Festival Internacional de Teatro Clásico de Almagro, Programme Director of Dramafest in Mexico and Artistic Director of 'Voces de la Lengua' in Spain.
In opera, García has directed more than sixty titles, including works by Purcell, Verdi, Puccini, Massenet and Thomas. His theatre work includes plays by Calderón de la Barca, Lope de Vega, Cervantes and José Saramago, staged at major theatres and festivals across Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia.
Alongside his directing career, García is deeply engaged in education and artistic development. He regularly works with young singers and theatre-makers through opera studios, festivals and training programmes, and is an active teacher and mentor internationally.
Jihad Mikhael, Dramaturg
Jihad Mikhael is a Lebanese stage director known for his innovative approach to theatre. He is the founder and artistic director of Asquare MENA, a company dedicated to producing and promoting contemporary performing arts in the Middle East and North Africa. In addition, Mikhael serves as the managing director of Double EGCC, a company specialising in event production and management.
He is the editor-in-chief of ModernArabesque.com, an online platform that explores and celebrates Arab art and culture. Through his multifaceted roles, Mikhael has contributed significantly to the cultural landscape of the Arab world, fostering a deeper appreciation for contemporary theatre and the arts.
Liuba Cid, Artistic DirectorLiuba G. Cid is a Cuban-born theatre director, scholar and professor based in Spain. Born in Havana, she began her artistic training in music and theatre in Cuba before continuing her academic and creative career internationally.
She holds a doctorate and master’s degree in arts and humanities from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid, a double degree in stage direction and performance from the University of the Arts of Cuba and a degree in advanced music studies from the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in Havana.
Cid has trained as a stage director in Italy, Germany, the United States and Latin America, collaborating with figures such as Heiner Müller, Eugenio Barba and Francis Ford Coppola. She has directed more than 50 theatrical productions, with a particular focus on contemporary interpretations of Spanish Golden Age classics, presented at major international festivals and leading theatres across Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East.
Alongside her artistic practice, she publishes widely and works as a researcher specialising in scenography, stage direction, and the arts and humanities. She is a collaborating member of the ESPACIAR Research Group at the University of Valladolid and currently works with the University of Navarra and the University of Granada.
Rafic Ali Ahmad, Poetry
Rafic Ali Ahmad is a Lebanese actor, director and writer, known for his significant contributions to Lebanese theatre and cinema. Born in Lebanon in 1954, he began his acting career in 1984 with the film 'Layla Wal Thia’ab (Layla and the Wolves)'. He has since appeared in numerous television series in Lebanon and Egypt, including Al-Zeer Salem and Al-Shahroura, as well as films such as 'Ma’araka' (1986), 'Al Hayba (2017) and Al Hayba: The Movie (2022)'.
Alongside acting, Ahmad is celebrated for his work in monodrama, having written and directed several acclaimed pieces that have resonated within Lebanon and the broader Arab world. His artistic endeavours reflect a deep commitment to exploring and portraying the complexities of Lebanese society and culture.
His multifaceted career underscores his enduring influence in the Arab entertainment industry.
Lucía Campillo, DancerLucía Campillo is a Spanish flamenco dancer and choreographer from Murcia. She trained at the Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Mariemma in Madrid and began her professional career in 2006 with the Taller Estudio of the Ballet Nacional de España and the Antonio Gades Company. In 2010, she joined the Ballet Nacional de España, performing internationally under the direction of José Antonio and later Antonio Najarro. She has since collaborated with artists and companies including María Pagés, Rojas y Rodríguez and Jesús Carmona, and has appeared at leading flamenco tablaos such as Corral de la Morería, Tablao Cordobés, Villa-Rosa, Las Carboneras and Casa Patas.
Her solo work 'Un Lucero' premiered in 2023 and was presented at the Festival de Jerez and Madrid’s Suma Flamenca. Her most recent production, Bendita tú, premiered in September 2025 at Teatros del Canal. She has received the Alfonso X Cultural Award from the Region of Murcia and the Únicas Award.
Cynthya Karam, Singer & ActressBorn in Beit ed-Dine, Lebanon, in 1980, Cynthya Karam is a Lebanese actress and singer. She studied theatre at the Lebanese University, Faculty of Arts, and gained public recognition as a contestant on the inaugural season of the pan-Arab talent programme 'Star Academy' in 2003. She has since built a career across theatre, television and film. In 2025, she received a Murex d’Or award, one of Lebanon’s leading awards honouring achievements in Arab television and the performing arts, for her role as Adla in the series 'Bi Al Dam'.
In addition to her artistic work, Karam volunteers as a clown doctor in hospitals and works with cancer patients and individuals receiving end-of-life care.
Performers:- Jesús Carmona (Florencio)
- Cynthya Karam (Farah)
- Rafic Ali Ahmad (Spirit of the Garden)
- Lucía Campillo (Candela)
