escénico

Escénico is an adjective in Spanish that describes anything related to the stage or to theater, as well as elements connected with staging, performance, and the design of a scene. The term derives from escena, meaning scene, which in turn comes from Latin scaena and Greek skēnē, and it has been used in theatrical and artistic contexts for centuries. In this sense, escénico can refer to persons (artistas escénicos, actores escénicos), actions (presentación escénica), or objects (iluminación escénica, diseño escénico) associated with a stage performance.

A secondary sense of escénico describes scenery or landscapes in a way that emphasizes picturesque or dramatic qualities. In this usage, it is akin to the English scenic, as in a paisaje escénico or un lugar con valor estético similar a una escena. This meaning is common in discussions of natural beauty, travel writing, and tourism, where escénico highlights visual impact and composition rather than theatrical function.

Related terms include escenografía, which refers specifically to the art and craft of designing and creating the physical setting of a performance, y escénico as a broader descriptor of something pertaining to the scene. The word agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies (escénico/escénica, escénicos/escénicas).

In usage, escénico carries neutral connotations about stagecraft or visual attractiveness, and is often paired with other descriptors such as teatral, artístico, o paisajístico to specify context, whether discussing a play, a film, or a landscape.