Barcelona becomes the capital of classical music and opera with the 6th edition of Ciutat de Clàssica, bringing together major international names and local talent at iconic venues and new spaces. With more than half of the concerts being free, the festival strengthens the connection between classical music and the city.
As part of the Ciutat de Clàssica program, the Gran Teatre del Liceu presents four performances, two of them free of charge:
- Lohengrin (at the Gran Teatre del Liceu)
- Concert by Pretty Yende and Nadine Sierra (at the Gran Teatre del Liceu)
- Wind Quintet (Fabra i Coats Creation Factory) – Free
- Trio Ainé (Casa Batlló) – Free
This year, the festival, held with the support of the Barcelona City Council through the Department of Culture and Creative Industries, will feature a total of 23 free concerts and 18 ticketed events, aiming to bring classical music closer to all audiences. Ciutat de Clàssica also collaborates with the Conservatori del Liceu, Ibercamera, and the Franz Schubert Filharmonia, with Turisme de Barcelona joining as the project's coordinating body to strengthen Barcelona Obertura’s founding goal of positioning Barcelona as a city of culture and music.
A total of 500 musicians, the best international artists and local talents, and more than 40 concerts across 26 different venues make up the Ciutat de Clàssica 2025 program. Among them are the main temples of classical music in the city: the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the Palau de la Música, and L’Auditori, which will host 18 concerts and operas by internationally renowned artists.
The Gran Teatre del Liceu
The Gran Teatre del Liceu is going all out this March with the incredible Lohengrin by Wagner, presented by none other than Katharina Wagner, the great-granddaughter of Richard Wagner! It’s her directorial debut in Barcelona, and she’s bringing a fresh, atmospheric vision to this iconic opera. Lohengrin—which made its first appearance in Barcelona way back in 1882—will be brought to life with a stunning visual style, a gripping dramatic sense, and an innovative dramaturgical concept. And let’s not forget the phenomenal cast, led by the incomparable Josep Pons conducting. Klaus Florian Vogt, one of the world’s top Wagnerian tenors, will take the stage alongside the brilliant Elisabeth Teige and Iréne Theorin, two of the most powerful voices in opera today.
But that’s not all—the Liceu is also set to sparkle on April 6th with an unforgettable recital featuring two of the most dazzling sopranos of the moment: Nadine Sierra and Pretty Yende. These powerhouse vocalists will be gracing the stage with a program that takes us on a journey from the bel canto brilliance of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini to the passionate romanticism of Verdi. It’s going to be an evening of pure magic!
Music in all the city's districts
Additionally, in this edition, music once again transcends the theater seats and reaches all corners of the city. In parallel, the initiative proposes 23 concerts that will reach the 10 districts of Barcelona, in a series of historical and iconic buildings in the city, alongside museums and other municipal venues, which will become stages for young local talents. These 23 concerts will feature 200 musicians, including singers Cecilia Rodríguez, Lluís Calvet, and Michèle Bréant, pianists Llum Colomer, Ot Ortega, Saskia Giorgini, the Vivancos Quartet, the Noctes Chamber Choir, violinists Patricia Cordero, Bernat Prat, Andrea García, and Andrea Santiago, as well as choral formations linked to the Orfeó Català and orchestral ensembles connected to the Orquestra del Gran Teatre del Liceu, the Barcelona Municipal Band, the Liceu Conservatory, and the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra.
Spaces such as the Old Estrella Damm Factory, Casa Batlló, the National Art Museum of Catalonia, CASA SEAT, the Gabriel García Márquez Library, the Miró Foundation, the Picasso Museum, Mirador Torre Glòries, Palau Güell, the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Barcelona, and the City of Barcelona’s network of Civic Centers continue their collaboration with the festival, which this year adds eight new venues: the Collserola Tower, the Faculty of Law at the University of Barcelona, Refugi 307, the Casa de l'Aigua de Trinitat Nova, the Parish of Cristo Redentor, the Depósito del Rey Martí, the Monastery of Pedralbes, and the Jaume Fuster Library.
Barcelona Obertura in numbers
Regarding the results of the 2024 edition, the free concerts of Ciutat de Clàssica had an attendance rate of 90.29%, with a total of 3,698 attendees.
The paid concerts (formerly known as the Barcelona Obertura Spring Festival) had an average occupancy rate of 74.02% across the 3 venues.
The Barcelona Obertura website, launched in September 2022, has grown from 40,000 to 250,449 total visits (a 12% increase compared to 2024). International traffic, accounting for 60%, surpasses national traffic.
This year, Barcelona Obertura offers a total of 7 musical packages with over 44 concerts, concentrated at different times of the year, making them ideal for music enthusiasts who also want to enjoy the city’s cultural, architectural, gastronomic, and entertainment offerings.
Barcelona Obertura is an initiative born from the collaboration of the three most important classical music venues in the city: the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the Palau de la Música Catalana, and L’Auditori, with the goal of internationally promoting the city of Barcelona through classical music. Each season, Barcelona Obertura selects the best concerts and musical productions from the three venues and groups them into special packages, offering visitors an exceptional experience. With the slogan "Come for the music, stay for the rest," the essence of Barcelona Obertura is to tell the story of Barcelona through its powerful musical offerings.