The quality of the inaugural program makes the Palau de les Arts a world-class venue for opera.

15.05.2006

The President of the Generalitat, Francisco Camps, presided on May 15th, over the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, at the Palau de la Generalitat, to discuss the approval of the program for the 2006-2007 season.
Following the meeting, the Minister of Culture, Education and Sport, Alejandro Font de Mora, together with the Regional Secretary of Culture, Concha Gómez and the Regional Secretary of Events and Projects, Luis Lobón, announced the program for the Palau les Arts for the 2006 and 2007 season, which will be inaugurated on October 8 with the Institutional Concert by Zubin Mehta and Yaron Traub.

Councillor Alejandro Font de Mora described the first season as "ambitious" in terms of the "high quality" of the programming, which "will make the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía a benchmark for music and the performing arts, both nationally and internationally," adding that it will also "turn it into a multicultural complex because it has the capacity to host all kinds of shows."

The objectives of this inaugural season are diverse. First, to bring great operas to the Valencian public in a regular, systematic, and intensive manner. This genre will play an important and relevant role throughout the coming year with the premiere of ten operas.

Secondly, to promote the Palau de les Arts and the Valencian Community as an international center of lyric reference in order to generate a great economic and tourist boost, which would be the third goal.

In this regard, Alejandro Font de Mora pointed out that “for the first season, a large influx of visitors, both international and national, is expected, which will have economic implications not only for the city of Valencia, but also for the entire Valencian Community and, consequently, for Spain.” Finally, the Palau de les Arts would be promoted as an architectural icon in the region, “as a symbol of the Valencian Community and as an image that the Community itself projects to the world,” the Minister of Culture added.

Regarding the varied program, aimed at all audiences, encompassing different performing arts genres and combining universal themes with those closely related to our region, it is worth highlighting that it comprises ten operas, plus one in concert version, 16 concerts, a play, and a contemporary dance performance directed by Nacho Duato in collaboration with the Valencia Choreographic Center. In total, there will be 53 opera performances and another 18 concerts and recitals.

In addition, Font de Mora has also revealed some of the program content for the 2007-08 season, including “Una cosa rara” by Martin i Soler, “Carmen” by Bizet, “El Rey que rabió” by R. Chapí, and “Don Carlo” by G. Verdi.

Alejandro Font de Mora has announced that the inaugural program of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía will be submitted to the Ministry of Culture, with the aim of obtaining subsidies from the central government, given the national and international impact of the project, the quality of everything programmed with magnificent directors, set designers and singers among other participants, and the comparative study with opera houses in other autonomous communities, which receive aid from the central government.

The Regional Minister clarified that he expects "to receive the necessary financial support from the central government because it is one of the many events taking place in our region. Physically, the Palau is located in Valencia, but its reach extends throughout Spain, and theaters in both Barcelona and Madrid receive subsidies exceeding ten million euros."

Finally, Councillor Alejandro Font de Mora pointed out that “we want the Palau to be a boost for Spanish and Valencian music, with a program open to all audiences. It will also play an educational and training role, for example through the Operalia singing competition, directed by Plácido Domingo, an initiative proposed by the President of the Generalitat, which consists of an educational activity aimed at children of the Valencian Community, who, in collaboration with RTVV, will be able to come to the Palau to receive explanations of music, opera and different activities.”

In this regard, Schmidt explained that the Sponsorship and Patronage Program of the Palau de les Arts “is designed to serve the objectives of the coliseum, which are none other than the promotion of musical culture and the performing arts of the Valencian Community and the abundant resources it has.”