Sergio Dalma and the Escolanía de Montserrat performed at the meeting with the Pope in Barcelona. A musical segment of the meeting with the Pope took place at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona. Sergio Dalma and the Escolanía de Montserrat performed a song in Catalan. The event drew the attention of local believers and became a significant occasion for the city.
One of the year's most notable musical events took place at Barcelona's Olympic Stadium: Sergio Dalma and the Escolanía de Montserrat joined forces on stage during the Pope's visit. Their performance of the song "Em dones força" in Catalan became the emotional highlight of the evening and resonated strongly with the audience. Prior to this, the children's choir performed "Virolai," and then Dalma joined them to sing the Catalan version of "You raise me up" together. This is not their first collaboration — they first performed this piece in 2011 for a TV3 charity project.
Sergio Dalma, who performs under his stage name, has long held a special place in Spanish pop music. His career began well before this recent performance: in 1991, he represented Spain at Eurovision with the song "Bailar pegados," which gained him widespread recognition and secured his status as one of the country's leading romantic artists. Over more than thirty years on stage, Dalma has released around twenty albums, including works such as Galilea and the Vía Dalma series, in which he reimagined Italian classics.
The evening's musical program was not limited to Dalma and the Escolanía de Montserrat. Before their performance, Siloé and Sabor de Gracia — a rumba group from a Barcelona district — took the stage, highlighting how significant it was for them to perform before the Pope. According to them, such an opportunity comes only once in a lifetime, making it a major event for the group.
Attention to the meeting with the Pope in Spain is traditionally high: earlier in Madrid, the encounter between Tamara Falcó and the Pontiff stirred strong emotions, as was detailed in the coverage about the reaction of well-known guests to the Pope's visit to the capital. Such events highlight the significance of visits by the Catholic Church leader for Spanish society and culture.
For reference: Escolanía de Montserrat is one of the oldest boys’ choirs in Europe, associated with the monastery of the same name in Catalonia. Sergio Dalma, a native of Sabadell, remains a sought-after performer, and his collaboration with the choir underscores the connection between contemporary pop music and the region’s musical traditions. Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium, where the meeting took place, regularly serves as a venue for major public and cultural events.
