Basque National Orchestra

The Basque National Orchestra, the Orfeón Donostiarra choir, Andoni Martínez Barañano and the conductor Juan José Ocón will make up the team of this latest edition, to take place on Saturday 19 September at 18:00.

‘Verano Azul / Blue Summer’ and ‘La clave’ de Carmelo Bernaola; ‘El cantor de México’ and ‘El amor es como un ramo de violetas’, with tenor Andoni Martínez Barañano rendering the voice of Irun’s Luis Mariano; ‘Winnipeg, the Seed of Hope’ and ‘Sacamantecas / The Harvester’ are some of the chosen works.

The Symphony Season comprises unique projects such as the revival of Aita Donostia’s ‘La vie profonde de Saint François D’Assise’, a presentation of Bach as a source of inspiration, America as a reflection of folk tradition and rhythmic energy, and Mahler and his monumental musical architecture. 

To enable this symphonic programme, the orchestra will be joined by 9 internationally renowned conductors, 6 instrumental soloists and 3 voice soloists and 4 major local.

Basque culture will be well represented in the programme with compositions by Aita Donostia, Sanjuán, Ozaita, Sorozábal and Guridi, whose ‘Ten Basque Melodies’ will mark the 90th anniversary of the first Basque Government; and also in the performing arts with the voices of Jone Martínez, Luken Munguira, Orfeón Donostiarra, Coro Easo, Easo Gazte and Sociedad Coral de Bilbao

The orchestra will undertake the first symphonic recording of the composer from Vitoria, José María Sanmartín, on the 50th anniversary of his death, and will release the album of the seminal work by Navarran composer Pascual Aldave, ‘Akelarre’.

The Basque National Orchestra will be present for the first time at the International Music and Dance Festival of Granada  in June 2027.

Following a two and a quarter hour concert, the Basque National Orchestra received standing ovations from its Barcelona audience on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for its concerts paying homage to Ravel, revealing Sorozabal and plunging into the demanding and great Mahler.