The Basque National Orchestra opens its season welcoming Robert Treviño, its new music director

From 10th to 17th October, the Basque National Orchestra opens its season welcoming Robert Treviño, its new music director, who has carefully designed the aesthetic paths of the coming season. An ambitious series of performances gets under way with a great symphonic choral programme, in which the Orchestra will be accompanied by the Orfeón Pamplonés, one of the oldest choir groups in the country which, conducted by Igor Ijurra, has performed alongside famous orchestras such as the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic.

The concert programme, "Elixir of Hope" includes Brahms' "Song of Destiny", Bernstein's "Chichester Psalms" (with the role of boy soloist performed by Markel Murillo, a choirboy from the Eskolanía Easo) and Mahler's First Symphony: spirituality and desires, vitalized by a great orchestral sound. The programme explores the duality between the divine and the human, the religious and the earthly, the exalted and the base. Robert Treviño construes the first part of the concert as introducing in a unique score the contrast between a mystical Brahms, who questions love and destiny, and an optimistic Bernstein; the second part presents a young Mahler, imbued with multiple influences who fills his Symphony No. 1 with "songs"; a type of choral symphony, but without vocals and words.

It is no coincidence that Robert Treviño chose one of Mahler's symphonies to begin his venture as director in the Orchestra's Season Concerts. Mahler's music has accompanied him at key moments in his career, such as his debut with the Munich Philharmonic in 2016 (Symphony No. 5) or his triumphant performance with the London Symphony Orchestra in June of this year (Symphony No. 3). With Mahler, Treviño also faces an ambitious future with our Orchestra. The new music director arrives brimming with energy, enthusiasm and passion to take the Basque National Orchestra to the very top. He will be in the forefront throughout this Season, as he is to conduct six concert programmes and shall make each and every concert and project a unique event.

All concerts start at 20:00.

Tickets on sale (from €10 to €35). Tickets for these concerts, as well as for all the Season's concerts, can be purchased HERE, on the respective concert halls' websites and at their box offices, as well as through the usual sales channels.