The history of the Urgell Canal will arrive transformed into a spectacle at the Palau de la Música Catalana. Next April 20, Òpera a les venes will premiere in Barcelona, a scenic and musical proposal that, through great pieces of the operatic repertoire, explores the historical, social, and economic impact of one of the most transformative infrastructures of 19th-century Catalonia. The performance, promoted by the Fundació Canals d'Urgell, will arrive in the Catalan capital after its re-premiere the previous day at the Teatre de la Llotja in Lleida, as part of a tour that began in 2025.
Inspired by the book Water in the veins. Chronicle of a universal Catalan miracle, of Francesc Canosa, the show combines music, theater, dance, and audiovisuals to narrate the historical, social, and economic impact of the canal. It is a co-production of the Fundació Orfeó Lleidatà and the Julià Carbonell Symphony Orchestra of the Lleida Lands, which features the participation of different choral groups and artists linked to the territory. Opera in the Veins is built from a selection of great choral scenes from the operatic repertoire, with works by composers such as Verdi, Puccini, Bizet or Saint-Saëns, contemporary to the construction of the Canal d'Urgell. The program includes recognized pieces such as the Va, pensiero of Nabucco, the Glory to Egypt of Aida or the gypsy chorus of Il trovatore, along with solo and instrumental fragments such as the habanera of Carmen or the symphonic poem The Moldava. The interpretation will be carried out by the Julià Carbonell Symphony Orchestra, the Orfeó Lleidatà and the mezzo-soprano Marta Infante, in a staging that also integrates body percussion, dance, and audiovisual elements. The show features musical direction by Xavier Pagès-Corella and stage direction by Dani Coma, with screenplay by Berta Lacruz from the adaptation by Francesc Canosa himself. With a scenic dimension that combines different artistic languages, with the participation of performers such as Santi Serratosa and Jana García in percussion and dance, as well as of the actress Begonya Ferrer and the audiovisual production company Kionalia. The project is part of a cultural initiative that seeks to project the territory of Ponent through culture and reclaim the historical value of the Canal d'Urgell. After its initial premiere in 2025 and a tour through the channel's territorial scope —which includes regions such as Segrià, Pla d'Urgell, or Les Garrigues—, the production culminates its journey with two main performances this 2026. The first will take place on April 19 in Lleida, while the second will be held at the Palau de la Música Catalana, in Barcelona, as the project's closing and a point of connection with the urban audience.
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