Edition 2025

¡OLAS ESPAÑOLAS!

July 15 at 08:30 PM

Introduction

An all-Iberian program is the ideal setting to host another side of Ravel’s creativity—opera. Spanish-tinged numbers are scattered throughout 19th– and 20th-century European music. Many were conceived for operas based on stories set in Spain or to characterize one of its characters. This program offers a bunch of such arias, picked up from Rossini, Verdi, Bizet, and Massenet. Then there is also some real Spain, seen from within—melodies by Albéniz, Granados, and Falla. The aria from Ravel’s L’heure espagnole falls somewhere in the middle. It was written for an opera set in Spain but by a composer of Basque origins on his mother’s side.

Artists

Villa del Balbianello

From the tip of the small wooded peninsula of Lavedo, stretching out sheer above the waters of the center of Lake Como, Villa del Balbianello…

Find out more

Program

Enrique Granados (1867-1916)
From Doce tonadillas en estilo antiguo:
1. La Maja de Goya
4. El majo tímido
12. El majo olvidado
5. La maja dolorosa I
6. La maja dolorosa II
7. La maja dolorosa III

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)
From Siete canciones populares españolas:
1. El paño moruno
3. Asturiana
5. Nana
4. Jota
7. Polo

Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868)
From Péchés de vieillesse, Vol. X – Miscellanée pour piano:
6. Petit caprice (style Offenbach)

From Soirées musicales:
5. L’invito – Bolero

Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909)
From Iberia, Book I:
2. El puerto

Georges Bizet (1838-1875)
From Carmén:
Habanera
Seguidilla
Chanson bohème

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
From Don Carlos:
O don fatale

(60 min.)

Access to the location

Villa del Balbianello can be reached on foot via the trail starting from Via Comoedia in Lenno. Both the pedestrian path and the paved road accessible to vehicles are available.
Estimated walking time: approximately 25 minutes.

Paid parking spaces are available along Via Comoedia.

By boat:
It is possible to reach Villa del Balbianello by lake via a paid Taxi-Boat service.
Two boats will be available. Multiple trips will be made.
Reservations are not required; the service will be available to everyone.

Departure time: from 7:30 pm with last departure at 8 pm.
Boarding location: Pier of Lido di Lenno (see map).
Cost: € 25.00 roundtrip, to be paid directly at the boarding point (cash or credit card accepted).
Return time: the first boats will leave immediately after the end of the concert, followed by subsequent trips. We kindly ask for your patience while waiting for the boats to return.