Les Arts begins its symphonic program for 2026 with Mahler's Fifth Symphony and Berlioz's The Childhood of Christ , conducted by Sir Mark Elder

LES ARTS ÈS SIMFÒNIC

• Les Arts' resident orchestra performs for the first time Mahler's most famous symphony, which Visconti immortalized in Death in Venice .
• In February he will conduct Berlioz's The Childhood of Christ , a pinnacle oratorio of the French repertoire, of profound spirituality and sublime beauty.

Valencia (26.12.25). The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía will feature Sir Mark Elder as the main protagonist of symphonic activity during the first months of 2026, with two unpublished works for the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana (OCV): Gustav Mahler's Fifth Symphony and Hector Berlioz's oratorio The Childhood of Christ .

The British maestro was tasked with closing the 20th anniversary celebrations of Les Arts in 2025 with acclaimed performances of Luisa Miller , the first opera he has conducted in Valencia as the newly appointed principal conductor of the OCV. Following his foray into opera, he now delves into the works of two of his favorite composers, with whom he has created some of the most memorable pieces of his successful career.

Sir Mark Elder is already immersed in rehearsals for the first major symphonic event of the year, which will take place on January 3, 2026 at the Auditori, in which the OCV will tackle for the first time one of the key works of the repertoire: Mahler's Fifth .

A leading Mahlerian, the principal conductor of Les Arts stands out as one of the most highly regarded interpreters of the Bohemian composer's most celebrated symphony, now inextricably linked to the European cultural heritage. His Adagietto has transcended the symphonic realm to become an icon of mourning and contemplation, which Luchino Visconti masterfully immortalized in his acclaimed Death in Venice .

Sir Mark Elder is replacing Philippe Jordan at this concert, who has been forced to cancel his debut in Valencia due to health reasons.

Music lovers have another unmissable appointment in February with one of the great works of the symphonic-choral repertoire still unpublished at Les Arts: The Childhood of Christ by Hector Berlioz, which the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana and the Cor de la Generalitat will perform on February 6, 2026 at the Auditori de Castelló and a day later, on Saturday the 7th, at the Auditori de Les Arts.

Elder's career is inextricably linked to Hector Berlioz. Unanimously recognized as the leading authority on the French composer in recent decades, the music director of Les Arts is considered the legitimate heir to the legacy of great British Berlioz scholars such as Thomas Beecham and Colin Davis.

The childhood of Christ , This oratorio for soloists, choir, organ and orchestra is one of the most fascinating pages in Berlioz's catalog, bequeathing a moving invitation to contemplation of sublime beauty and profound spirituality in this journey through the early years of Jesus of Nazareth's life: from Herod's dream to the refuge of the Holy Family in Sais.

The score features iconic passages that have their own identity in the repertoire, such as the 'Chorus of the Shepherds', which will allow the Cor de la Generalitat to star in one of the most emotional moments of the concert.

The childhood of Christ has not been heard in the city of Valencia since 1964, the year in which the University Choir premiered the oratorio in Spain together with the city's municipal orchestra under the baton of José María Franco Gil.

Les Arts reminds everyone that tickets for both Sir Mark Elder concerts can be purchased through the theater's various sales channels: box offices, the sales line 96 197 59 00 and the Les Arts website.