The festival will commence with a special concert by the Orquestra de València, in collaboration with the Palau de la Música de València, to celebrate Fête de la Musique. The performance will feature the direction of Alexander Liebreich and the participation of Japanese pianist Mao Fujita.
The program includes pieces from European classicism, such as the overture to L’arbore di Diana by Vicent Martín i Soler; the Piano Concerto No. 21 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; and Symphony No. 25 by the same composer. These works are notable for their technical and expressive demands, from the balance in Mozart's concerto to the dramatic intensity of his symphony.
The overture by Martín i Soler celebrates the figure of an 18th-century Valencian composer, showcasing the agility and brilliance of classical opera. This concert is part of the international celebrations for the Day of Music and will be included in the special programming of the European cultural channel Arte.
Fête de la Musique, a 44-year-old French initiative, aims to bring music closer to citizens and promote musical practice in public spaces. Serenates joins this global celebration with a large-scale event that will internationally promote both the festival and Valencian cultural heritage.
The following day, Saturday, June 21st, pianist Elena Font will present Els somnis de Ravel (Ravel's Dreams), a project centered around the French composer Maurice Ravel, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of his birth. The recital will explore the dialogue between Ravel's work and that of Claude Debussy and Manuel de Falla, key figures in the musical renewal of the early 20th century.
Elena Font's program includes Debussy's Images, a selection from Falla's El amor brujo, and Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin. These works demand rich timbres, sonic refinement, and evocative power, blending impressionistic atmospheres, rhythmic force, and formal precision.
General admission tickets cost 5 euros and can be purchased online or at La Tenda of the Centre Cultural La Nau. Tickets for the opening concert by the Orquestra de València will be available on the Palau's website and at the auditorium's box office.
Serenates, celebrating its 39th edition, will feature twelve concerts until July 2nd. The program includes symphonic, choral, jazz, flamenco, early music, and contemporary creation, with artists such as the Orquestra Filharmònica de la Universitat de València, Christina Rosenvinge, Perico Sambeat, and Tonina, among others.
