In January 2025, the renowned Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona will host the long-awaited New Year’s concert, set to be one of the season’s most spectacular events. The stage will welcome acclaimed opera stars — tenor Xabier Anduaga and soprano Saioa Hernández. Maestro Riccardo Frizza will conduct, with musicians from not one but two orchestras providing the musical accompaniment: the Liceu Symphony Orchestra and Venice’s La Fenice. This collaboration marks the first time in the theater’s history that both ensembles will perform together.
After last year’s failed holiday concert, organizers decided to completely reinvent their approach. Audiences were deeply dissatisfied with the quality of the performances, and musicians complained about a lack of rehearsal time. As a result, the theater received over a hundred official complaints and had to make it up to ticket holders by inviting them to a rehearsal of the Requiem. Average ticket prices were around 70 euros, which only fueled the public’s frustration.
This year, the management of Liceu has taken direct control over organizing the concert, moving away from the previous practice of outsourcing such events to external companies. This decision came in response to a wave of criticism and has helped restore public trust. The evening’s program features selected arias and duets from classic operas, performed by artists who have already earned acclaim on leading stages worldwide. Saioa Hernández shone this season in the roles of Leonora and Madame Butterfly, while Xabier Anduaga recently appeared in ‘La sonnambula’ alongside Nadine Sierra.
Tickets for the New Year’s concert will go on sale later this week. Organizers promise that this time, audiences can expect truly world-class performances and a unique atmosphere. Notably, last year’s scandal affected not only the Liceu: concert cancellations swept through other venues, including Auditori de Barcelona and halls in Girona. In one case, a musician couldn’t hold back tears on stage due to poor preparation. Now, the theater is determined to prevent a repeat of such incidents and reclaim its status as one of the country’s premier cultural centers.
