VENEZUELA VIVA was created by Carolina Lizarraga, the granddaughter of Don José Angel Matheus, promoter and bullfighting fanatic, friend of the famous bullfighters Antonio Ordoñez and the Girón brothers. He impregnated flamenco into the life of his family, especially his daughter Lilian Matheus who passed the passion to her three daughters. After long years of residence in Spain, Lilian returned to Venezuela in 1976 and founded the Lizarraga Dance Academy in Valencia. It is considered to be among the most important flamenco schools in the country. Born in Venezuela, Carolina who has danced since she was 4 years old and is now a dance teacher, was inspired by her Spanish roots which led her to create this magnificent show to express the cultural richness and great diversity of Venezuelan people, telling a story which educates and entertains at the same time.

Carolina Lizarraga

The first version of VENEZUELA VIVA was presented in 2002 at the Municipal Theater of Valencia, with superb reviews. In 2005, the show presented 23 performances and 15 music concerts in the biggest artistic festival in the world: the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. VENEZUELA VIVA was a major success achieving a place among the Top 10 best-selling shows in the whole festival (out of 1800 different shows). In 2006 the show toured Holland through 35 cities and an estimated audience of 20.000. In 2008 the show toured Germany and Switzerland through 18 cities, being reviewed by 16 newspapers with enthusiastic reviews. In 2009 the show returned to the Fringe festival with 20 performances at the prestigious Edinburgh International Conference Centre, being considered by the Sunday Times as a “fabulous show… fresh, energetic and sizzling with sex appeal…”