It’s the 20th anniversary of the Palau de Les Artes Reina Sofía, and they are celebrating with a full calendar of concerts, operas, shows, and productions. The theme for the 2025-2026 season is “Per a descobrir”, which means “To discover”. This theme invites all to come to Les Arts for entertainment, yes, but also to learn and explore and ultimately discover the great gift that the arts are to humanity.
Les Arts will kick off their season on September 21st with an Open Doors concert at the Calatrava building. Then, the opening opera will be Faust, which will play on October 3rd. However, Faust is not the only star of the show in terms of operas; Verdi’s Luisa Miller and Enemy of the People by Francisco Coll and Àlex Rigola will play alongside Strauss’ Salome, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and Puccini’s Turandot, and several baroque operas as well.
Among the huge list of talented performers who will be at the Palau de Les Arts this coming season, some standout names include Angel Blue, Nicholas Brownlee, Freddie De Tomasso, Ruth Iniesta, Gregory Kunde, and Federica Lombardi. These phenomenal vocalists will play into the theme “to discover” by bringing their audiences into a greater understanding of the immense value of the arts in our world, and a greater appreciation for those who dedicate their lives to putting the arts on display for the public.
The Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana will be lead by Sir Mark Elder, their principal conductor. Sir Elder also shares the title of “conductor” with several guest conductors, including James Gaffigan, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Daniele Gatti, Gustavo Gimeno, Philippe Jordan, Fabio Luisi, Cornelius Meister, Marc Minkowski, Lorenzo Viotti, Timur Zangiev, William Christie, Javier Perianes, and Dima Slobodeniouk.
Adding to the variety of performances to see is the Symfònic, which will showcase ten different programmes. These include but are not limited to Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony, Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ, several symphonies composed by the musical master Brahms, as well as Beethoven’s complete piano concertos. With masterpieces in abundance and the sounds of some of the greatest compositions of all time playing, these symphonies are a wonder to behold, and unlike any concert or performance you’ve ever been to or seen before. Come prepared to discover so much more about music from times past, and see the impact it still has on music and the arts as a whole to this day.
With all these concerts and musical performances, you may be wondering if there will be any more displays of the arts. Luckily, the Palau De Les Artes is used to surpassing all expectations in variety and talent. For the performing arts, there will be seven dance productions performed by the following companies: Antonio Najarro, Kor’sia, Manuel Liñán, Compañía Nacional de Danza, Antonio Ruz, Dortmund Ballet, Taiat Dansa. There will also be a zarzuela dance called Un misterio de sainete o zarzuela a la cazuela by Enrique Viana, with music by José Serrano. Each dance will open your eyes to the world of the performing arts, perhaps different from those which you are accustomed to. While musicals and concerts are common in this day and age, these dancers are ready to show up and give the audience a taste of world-class dances that pair perfectly with the contemporary music of composers like José Serrano.
Taking the world back in time, at least for a little while, is the Baroque and Early Music section of performances. In collaboration with the National Centre for Musical Diffusion, many artists are bringing to life the music of eras past. Some of these artists include William Christie, Marc Minkowski, Vespres d’Arnadí & Serena Sáenz, María Espada, Les Épopées & Eva Zaïcik, and The Fervor & Jone Martinez.
Even if your tastes in music and performances skew one way or another, there truly is something for everyone to enjoy at the Palau de Les Arts for 2025-2026. Although we have detailed many musical and dance performances, there is still more on offer from Palau. Jumping back to this era after the Baroque sections, there will be other musical offerings to satisfy the craving for something new and exciting after a trip to the old world. Flamenco performances by the likes of Pitingo, Ángeles Toledano, Argentina, Juana la del Pipa, and Ismael de la Rosa “El Bola” will provide the Spanish spin on music that so many locals desire. Tapping into the jazz and world music side of rhythms is the legendary Chucho Valdés, who will perform Afro-Cuban jazz, and Rufus Wainwright who will cover baroque and theatrical pop.
If you’re still looking for Valencian flavour within Les Arts, rest assured that Pau Alabajos and several others will give a local feel to their performances. So many performances and tastings of different musical styles will be available right at Les Artes, only a short bus ride from city center, located at Av. del Professor López Piñero, 1, Quatre Carreres.
To learn more about Les Artes and secure your tickets today, visit https://www.lesarts.com/.
Report by Fiona Pacious
Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’
‘Les Arts’ photo copyright Mikel Ponce
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