L'Auditori officially inaugurates its 2026-2027 season this Friday, October 2, in Sala 1 Pau Casals. The Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and National of Catalonia (OBC), under the direction of Ludovic Morlot, will take the stage accompanied by Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki to perform a repertoire that synthesizes the institution's new phase: respect for universal symphonic repertoire, connection with international virtuosity, and commitment to Catalan musical heritage.
This opening concert, which will be repeated on Sunday, October 4, marks Morlot's 5th season at the helm of the ensemble and, at the same time, represents the first season entirely designed by Victor Medem as director of L'Auditori. A tandem that aims to make a qualitative leap in the artistic project, consolidate the orchestra's international projection, and bring classical music to new audience profiles through innovative formats and accessibility measures.
An inaugural program between Beethovenian dance, lyricism, and tradition
The evening will open with Robert Gerhard's Concertino for String Orchestra, a piece written between 1927 and 1928 where the composer fuses classical tradition with the search for a more modern language. The interpretation of this score has added value, as it constitutes the starting point of the Robert Gerhard Biennial, a cultural initiative that until November 22 will offer various activities, conferences, and concerts in Barcelona and Valls to highlight the figure of one of the most influential creators of 20th-century Catalan music.
Next, the spotlight will fall on pianist Jan Lisiecki, who will present Frédéric Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21. This work, written by a young Chopin before leaving Poland, highlights the central role of the piano in the world of romanticism. The evening will conclude with Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92. Defined at the time by Richard Wagner as the "apotheosis of dance," the Seventh is one of the most vital and rhythmic scores in the composer's catalog.
"While this season's repertoire is different from last year's, the goal remains exactly the same: the constant pursuit of artistic excellence," remarked maestro Ludovic Morlot during the season presentation press conference.
«The objective remains exactly the same: the constant pursuit of artistic excellence» (Ludovic Morlot)
On Saturday, October 3, the first session of the season of Tast d’Orquestra will take place, a brief format that premiered last year and allows attendees to delve into the details of a great symphonic work in an informal and relaxed way. On this occasion, the session will revolve around Beethoven's Symphony No. 7. The OBC, directed by Morlot, will feature the live collaboration of Pedro Pardo and Albert Galceran, known as "Els Homes Clàssics" of Catalunya Música. They will offer data, reveal curiosities about the score, analyze the historical context of its composition, and explain the secrets of the musicians' daily work on stage.
L'Auditori in growth: 25% more tickets sold
According to data provided during the presentation press conference, personal ticket sales have shown a 25% increase compared to the same dates last season. As of now, before the season has even begun, 12,765 tickets have already been sold, compared to the 10,196 recorded last season.
Regarding season subscriptions, the figures remain consolidated with a clear upward trend in medium and long-term loyalty modalities. This positive balance is, in the words of Victor Medem, the consequence of a well-executed structural work: «This growth translates into a qualitative leap in the artistic ambition of the project.
The programming reinforces the quality and experience of the guest conductors, the demanding repertoire, and the presence of great soloists, while deepening the balance between the great works of the symphonic repertoire, contemporary creation, and the recovery of musical heritage. This step forward is the result of the commitment of the musicians and the entire L'Auditori team, as well as the sustained work and the renewal of the staff promoted during Ludovic Morlot's seasons».
During the presentation event, the figures of the young conductors who will accompany the OBC throughout this season were also announced: conductor Adrián Moscardó, who repeats in the position after outstanding work last season, and young talent Miquel Massana, who joins the orchestra.
Repertoire, contemporaneity and heritage
The season proposes a journey through some of the most universal names in music history. One of the most outstanding projects will be the start of an anthology of piano and orchestra concertos by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a cycle that will extend over the coming seasons and that this year will feature internationally renowned pianists such as Imogen Cooper, Saskia Giorgini, and Alexei Volodin.
Likewise, composers such as Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, Dmitri Shostakovich, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Sergei Rachmaninoff will continue to be present in the program. The public will be able to enjoy scores such as Strauss's Sinfonia Domestica and Four Last Songs; fragments of Wagner's Die Walküre, Lohengrin, Tristan und Isolde, and Parsifal; Shostakovich's Symphonies No. 4 and 8; Beethoven's Symphonies No. 7 and 8; and Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3 and Symphonic Dances.
But the OBC will also present pieces and commissions by current creators such as Pēteris Vasks, Blai Soler, Cassandra Miller, Sofia Gubaidulina, Josep Planells, Arnau Brichs, György Kurtág, Gabriella Smith, and Mariona Vila. In the same way, the ensemble will continue to rescue and highlight the country's musical heritage, which is why, throughout the season, works by fundamental composers such as Robert Gerhard, Manuel de Falla, Jaume Pahissa, Joaquim Salvat, Juli Garreta, Romà Alís, Joaquim Serra, Eduard Toldrà, Enric Casals, and Joan Lamote de Grignon will be programmed.
Great conductors and a commitment to young talent
L'Auditori's stage will host some of the most sought-after conductors on the international circuit this season. Names like Vasily Petrenko, Sebastian Weigle, Stanislav Kochanovsky, Pietari Inkinen, Michael Sanderling, David Afkham, or maestro Kent Nagano (who will visit Barcelona leading the Orquesta Nacional de España) will share the podium with resident conductor Ludovic Morlot. These international conductors will be combined with the presence of great national conductors such as Edmon Colomer, Josep Planells, Josep Caballé Domenech, Carlos Mena, and Jaime Martín.
In the soloists section, the season programs established stars, but also makes a commitment to the new generation of Catalan performers. Among the confirmed voices and instrumentalists are soprano Elionor Martínez, baritone Ferran Albrich, soprano Violeta Alarcón, cellist Mariona Camats, and pianist Marc Heredia.
New social inclusion initiatives
The 2026-2027 season consolidates L'Auditori's commitment to accessibility through the incorporation of Relaxed Sessions. These are concerts open to all citizens where the traditional codes of the concert hall (lighting, movement, noise) are adapted to facilitate attendance for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability, or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. During these performances, the audience can enter and exit the hall according to their needs and freely express their emotions without the usual rigidity of concerts.
The L’Auditori Seal
Beyond live concerts, the OBC's work will be immortalized through the L’Auditori Seal, the institution's record label. The fourth volume of this collection will be released on October 9, and will be definitively completed in March 2027 with the publication of the fifth and sixth volumes. The recording calendar for this season also includes monographic works dedicated to contemporary Catalan composers such as Benet Casablancas, Ramon Humet, Octavi Rumbau, Joan Magrané, and Manuel Blancafort (with the release of his Symphony in E).
Likewise, the label will open two new lines of discographic work: on the one hand, a project focused on the figure of Manuel de Falla (scheduled for June 2027), which will include recordings of El sombrero de tres picos, Siete canciones populares españolas, El amor brujo, and Psyche; on the other hand, an integral dedicated to Sergei Prokofiev in a three-disc edition that will include his Symphonies No. 5 and 6, the Violin Concerto No. 1 (with Marc Bouchkov), and the Piano Concerto No. 1.
L'Auditori kicks off a new season. Beethoven's Seventh and Jan Lisiecki's virtuosity will be just the first chapter of a year that promises great moments for music in Barcelona.
Add The New Barcelona Post as your preferred Google source for free
Stay informed with the latest news.
