Girona's Auditori Palau de Congressos is marking its 20th anniversary this year, with a weekend programme built around music, performance and local talent. Since opening on 27 May 2006, the venue has hosted nearly 2,400 concerts, more than 1,200 congresses and almost two million spectators, according to officials.
The celebrations begin with flamenco singer Miguel Poveda, who will perform his Desglaç project in Girona. The work dates from 2005 and combines flamenco with Catalan poetry by Jacint Verdaguer, Maria Mercè Marçal, Gabriel Ferrater and Joan Margarit. For this concert, Poveda will add a new musical setting for Joana Raspall's poem Si el món fos…, and he will be joined by Cor Geriona and the Cobla Ciutat de Girona.
Before Poveda's performance, tightrope walker Mariona Moya, known as La Corcoles, will carry out a 16-minute ascent of the Auditori building. The aerial piece will include live music by Xavi Lloses on composition, synthesiser and soundscape, with Adrià Grandia on hurdy-gurdy, harmonic flutes and electronics. The performance will be repeated on Saturday.
Saturday's programme also features Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen, in her only concert in Catalonia. She will perform a programme of Franz Schubert's Lieder, accompanied by pianist James Baillieu.
The anniversary weekend ends on Sunday with Ressò (Echo), a participatory concert bringing together different generations and musical styles. Artists and groups with links to the area include Mazoni, Cala Vento, the Black Music Big Band, the Cor Messies Participatiu and cobla students from Girona's Isaac Albéniz conservatory.
The Auditori Palau de Congressos was designed to be Girona's main musical and conference space, and the anniversary programme underlines that role two decades on. For more local culture coverage, see our news tag.
