Book Tickets
The Christmas lights are already shining in every corner of Barcelona and the seasonal events are underway in the city. Classical Music also has its Christmas dates that we would love to recommend. Here are 3 proposals, pairing some of Barcelona’s Christmas locations with the very best concerts to be enjoyed in the city at this time.
1. Händel’s Messiah and the Frederic Marès manger
Every Christmas, some traditional musical pieces reappear in many European cities. Works that have been part of the programme for a long time and were written specifically for those dates. A prime example is the famous Messiah by Händel. This oratorio premiered in Dublin on April 13th, 1742 and a year later, on March 23rd, 1743, it arrived in London. Neither of these dates are very Christmassy so why do we associate Handel’s Messiah with Christmas? It seems that from 1750 onwards the tradition of performing this work at the Foundling Hospital in London, an institution that was dedicated to caring for abandoned children in England, began. Thanks to this tradition of more than 20 years and the subsequent adaptations made by other composers, Handel’s Messiah has become a rarity, being performed over all of its 300 years life. This Christmas we can hear it on Thursday, December 21st at the Palau de la Música Catalana.
And before the concert at the Palau de la Música, just 400 meters away, you can stop at the courtyard of the Frederic Marès Museum to visit its traditional Christmas Nativity scene. A tradition that this year celebrates its origin. The Barcelona Nativity Scene Association wanted to pay tribute to Saint Francis of Assisi, who made the first nativity scene 800 years ago. Inspired by the painters of the time such as Giotto and his contemporaries, the crib can be visited for free from November 25th to January 7th from Tuesday to Saturday (10am-7pm) and Sundays and holidays (11am-8pm). On your way to the Palau concert, very close to the Frederic Marès Museum, we recommend a visit to the traditional Santa Llúcia fair with its typical Christmas decoration stalls and crib figurines.
2. The Nutcracker and the ice skating rinks
Now we enter into the coldest family event for Christmas. The ballet – The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, premiered on December 18th, 1892. The Nutcracker is really a Christmas-themed work and remains another of the classics for this season. So much so that we can enjoy two different Nutcrackers. On December 23rd and 25th at the Palau de la Música, the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès will play the music for the event as an artist makes illustrations from sand live. Another very different version can be seen at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, The Nutcracker represented by puppets accompanied by the score adapted to Jazz. So you can delve into this wonderful universe, the Teatre del Liceu has scheduled sessions on December 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th.
On the subject of ballet and if we get cold, the best idea to round off the experience is to visit one of the various ice skating rinks that spring up at Christmas in Barcelona. From the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Ice Rink, to the Tibidabo Amusement Park and of course the largest of all, the Port Vell ice rink. After discovering the music of The Nutcracker, you will feel like the dancers as your feet fly over the ice.
3. New Year’s concerts and the New Year’s eve show on Montjuïc
When it comes to saying goodbye to the current year and welcoming in the new one, some traditions quickly come to mind: large celebrations in important cities and the New Year’s concert. Without any doubt the concert with the biggest audience in the world is broadcast from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. In Barcelona we can also enjoy the music of Strauss live. Your first option is the concert offered every year by the Barcelona Municipal Band on December 30th at 7:00 p.m. at L’Auditori Barcelona. You may also choose to attend one of the performances by the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès at the Palau de la Música on December 31st, January 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
The best way to celebrate the changing of the year is the impressive show prepared annually at the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc. From 11:00 p.m. on the night of the 31st, you can enjoy fireworks, music and technological innovation with the company Groupe F. directed by Christophe Berthonneau.
Owing to the drought decree, the Magic Fountain on Montjuïc will not be part of the display.
