This month Ludovic Morlot celebrates the 25th anniversary of L’Auditori concert hall in Barcelona, the home of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra (OBC), where he is Music Director. March also marks the 80th anniversary of the orchestra’s first concert back in 1944. Throughout the month, Morlot will conduct eight concerts with the orchestra, displaying a wide variety of musical genres and styles. 

The celebrations kicked off on March 9 with a free, televised concert with the OBC exploring Brahms’ mighty Symphony No. 4. A pre-concert event introduced the piece in a creative presentation explaining its context. A second performance of the concert saw the premiere of a new piece by Catalan composer Oriol Saladrigues alongside the symphony, and violinist Augustin Hadelich joined the orchestra for Britten’s Violin Concerto No. 1. 

At the end of the month, Morlot will return to L’Auditori for an exciting programme comprising the world premiere of Josep Maria Guix’s new commission by the hall, alongside Sibelius’ extraordinary Symphony No. 7, and Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2. Morlot will be joined soprano Anna Devin and pianist Denis Kozhukhin as soloists.

Other exciting plans for the anniversary include the release of the first disc of Morlot’s new recording of Maurice Ravel’s complete works. The first disc consists of Ravel’s Le tombeau de Couperin, Ma mère l’Oye, and Pavane pour une infante défunte, all in new editions recorded for the first time.