News

The Cabildo de Tenerife has opened a 135,000 euros funding line for professional stage productions in 2018. Individual producers (self-employed) or groups (companies) can apply for these grants provided that they are registered in the appropriate section for theatre, dance or circus of the Impuesto de Actividades Económicas [IAE – Tax on professional activities] and have resided or have had their tax address on the island of Tenerife since at least 1 January 2017.

The grants are aimed to help finance productions of professional theatre, dance, circus, street arts, or any stage language that includes these disciplines, which are premiered between 1 January 2018 and 30 June 2019.

These grants are part of the Área Tenerife 2030: Innovation, Education, Culture and Sports and include two types:

A) Projects with expense budget of up to 6,000 €

B) Projects with a budget of 6,001 € or above.

The rules governing this call were approved by agreement of the Consejo de Gobierno Insular del Excmo. Cabildo de Tenerife [Council of the Island Government of Cabildo de Tenerife], on 6 March 2018 and are published in BOP of Santa Cruz de Tenerife [Official Province Gazette] number 37, of 26 March 2018.

The amount approved for the current call is one hundred and thirty-five thousand euros (135,000.00 €). Grants can amount to a maximum of 90% of the total cost of the project with a limit of 5,000 € for Type A); and 70% of the total cost of the project with a limit of 25,000 € for Type B).

The deadline for applications is fifteen calendar days starting on the publication of the call in the Boletín Oficial de la Provincia [Official Province Gazette].

Applications can be made through Cabildo de Tenerife “Sede Electrónica” [website]. The application must include, among other documents, a detailed description of the production and the full budget, including income and expenditure.

*In accordance with that provided for in articles 17.3.b and 20.8.a of Law 38/2003, of 17 November, General on Funding, the extract of the call is published today in the Boletín Oficial de la Provincia de Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The full text can be consulted in the Base de Datos Nacional de Subvenciones [National Funding Database] (http://www.pap.minhap.gob.es/bdnstrans) and on the institutional website of Excmo. Cabildo Insular de Tenerife ( www.tenerife.es ).

On Sunday, 4^th November, Festival de Tenerife scheduled Little night , a show that works on babies and young children’s sensibilization through expressive movement and dance. Using video mapping technologies and movement detection they create a space that reacts to the movement of children and they can dance and move along with a professional dancer, enjoying a unique sensory experience. The show is for children aged 18 months to 3 years and takes place at 11:00 am, 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm.

Catalan company Imaginart brings this interactive show to the Canaries for the first time. In it, stars travel carrying their handbags, gentlemen with umbrellas fall from the sky, colourful stains take over and cars have to dodge them. Accompanying adults can watch the show from the edge of the stage but cannot take part in it, children are let free to participate, learn and enjoy the experience by themselves.

This all-family show introduces images that stimulate the senses as they change shape and colour when they are touched or are run after, inviting children to play.

The chance to be totally immersed in an artistic space and being able to make their own decisions, teach and empower children in poetic, artistic values, in fellowship and the value of their own body to play and express their inner world. Because it is a special show for the very young, tickets can only be purchased at Auditorio de Tenerife, Monday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm or calling 902 317 327.

The second  La pedagogía se mueve, [Pedagogy moves], which is part of the programme of Festival Internacional de las Artes del Movimiento (FAM) started on Friday, 2^nd November at Auditorio de Tenerife with a welcome speech by Tenerife Danza’s Didactic Unit coordinator Helena Berthelius. The forum continues until Sunday at midday. Even though you can no longer enrol, you can still attend as listener as admission to all the activities is free.  

“Dance and movement have enough tools to welcome all the functional diversity that exists”, Helena Berthelius said during her communication, which had the same title as this year’s motto: Politics of the body. It was then the turn for Kory González-Luis, PhD in Philosophy and Education Science, to read her paper, “The Body as politics”. “A second year means that all the work done last year was not just a parenthesis and this time we’ll talk about all the work carried out during the year”, stated Dr. González, who has been researching on “art, pedagogy, social transformation and the body as political territories”.

Other professionals taking part on the first day include the artist and audio-visual expert Simone Marin, the director of Centro Coreográfico de La Gomera, Martín Padrón, the Asociación Queremos Movernos, the Asociación Mosaico Canarias and the project Danza en Comunidad. On Saturday, 3^rd the Director General for Professional Training and Adult Education from the Government of the Canary Islands, Manuel Jorge Pérez, will talk about Integrated Dance Professional Training in the Canaries; professor Carmen Giménez Morte will read her paper “Un caso de estrategia educativa sobre políticas del cuerpo en la danza, entendida como patrimonio inmaterial histórico, artístico y cultural” [A case in educational strategy on body politics in dance, understood as historical, artistic and cultural intangible heritage]. The Asociación Mosaico Canarias, Martín Padrón, Helena Berthelius, the director of Coro Juvenil de Auditorio de Tenerife, Roxana Schmunk, and Musical.IES artistic director, Melodie Pérez will be offering meetings and workshops.

On Sunday, 4th Barraquito Meeting by Asociación Mosaico Canarias is taking place, and the survey ¿Y después, qué? [What next?], by Vicente Corrales, coordinator of the Programa Escuela y Salud de la Consejería de Educación y Universidades del Gobierno de Canarias [School & Health Programme of the Ministry for Education and Universities of the Canaries Government.] 

You can see the information in full on www.auditoriodetenerife.com.

The Cabildo fosters this space to reflect on and participate in topics related to dance and body which has been designed for professionals from different educational, artistic and social fields. This year the Consejería de Educación y Universidades del Gobierno de Canarias [Local Ministry of Education and Universities of the Government of the Canary Islands] will provide certificates to teachers attending from state, state-assisted and private Pre-, Primary and Secondary Schools.

The motto chosen this year is Politics of the body and the forum will deal with issues like body and movement, gender and sexual diversity, functional diversity, movement as a social-political response and communication practices. The aim of the Forum is to provide a space to contribute ideas and specific creative proposals as well as look into the possibility of including them in all the areas of education.

Festival de Tenerife presents its first dance show this year: Si pudiera hablar de esto no haría esto [If I could talk about this I wouldn’t do this]. This contemporary dance show by Galicia artist Janet Novás can be seen on Sunday, 4^th at 7:00 pm at Sala Castillo in Auditorio de Tenerife. The Festival has arranged a dance ticket package so you can attend all the shows in this category.

Ms Novás explained that “there are two main lines or recurring principles in my creative process that are important when making decisions and which outline my work: one of them is of an intuitive nature and it’s somatic; the other, reflects on and asks questions about the first one”. In this piece, the artist has tried to “draw on all those materials that come from impulses, turning away from the problems posed by discourse”. That is why the piece does not put forward any questions, discourse or collective reflection.  “I don´t know which argument would suit this piece best, or actually, what it’s about; this inability to describe it is my driving force and motivation”, she stated.

The creator says that “all I want is to activate my body, the time and the space around me, share sensations, go down a path through my experiences and needs of expression where action, dedication, commitment and responsibility are essential to carry out this work”. Novás’s interest in widening the boundaries of the body has led her to use objects to build metaphorical images, make up that transforms the body, costumes that reflect the light and sound textures that create landscapes. The choreographer says that in this one, she only recognises biographical landscapes: “like Galicia cliffs, the sea, folklore, magic, rituals and cosmic features”.

Festival de Tenerife tickets and packages can be bought at Auditorio de Tenerife box office, Monday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm, calling 902 317 327 or online here or on the websites  www.auditoriodetenerife.com y www.festivaltenerife.com.

Through Festival Internacional de las Artes del Movimiento (FAM) the Cabildo fosters the second Foro La pedagogía se mueve, [2^nd Pedagogy moves Forum] a space to reflect on and participate in issues regarding dance and our body to be held on 2, 3 & 4 November at Auditorio de Tenerife.

The Forum, coordinated by Helena Berthelius from Tenerife Danza Didactic Unit, welcomes professionals from different educational, artistic and social areas to take part in this event. You can enrol on Auditorio de Tenerife website by filling in this form  by 31 October. This year the Consejería de Educación y Universidades del Gobierno de Canarias [Local Ministry of Education and Universities of the Government of the Canary Islands] will provide certificates to teachers attending from state, state-assisted and private Pre-, Primary and Secondary Schools.

The topic chosen is Politics of the body which will deal with issues like body and movement, gender and sexual diversity, functional diversity, movement as a social-political response and communication practices. This way, we will reflect on the body as a concept in society as a whole, in schools, in families or in any other area.

The aim of the Forum is to provide a space to contribute ideas and specific creative proposals as well as look into the possibility of including them in all the areas of education.

The different papers to be read, includes one by Professor Carmen Giménez Morte, Un caso de estrategia educativa sobre políticas del cuerpo en la danza, entendida como patrimonio inmaterial histórico, artístico y cultural [A case in educational strategy on body politics in dance, understood as historical, artistic and cultural intangible heritage]. The artist and audio-visual expert Simone Marin will present a pair of virtual reality glasses and the Director General for Professional Training and Adult Education from the Government of the Canary Islands, Manuel Jorge Pérez, will talk about Integrated Dance Professional Training in the Canaries. Dr. Kory González Luis will set out her reflections on The body as politics.

During the Forum we can enjoy performances by Asociación Queremos Movernos with Baile sobre ruedas and Danza en Comunidad, the community section of Cabildo’s Tenerife Danza scheme, with Amor. There will also be some workshops led by Helena Berthelius; the Danza en Comunidad coordinator, Laura Marrero; the director of Centro Coreográfico de La Gomera, Martín Padrón; and the director of Coro Juvenil de Auditorio de Tenerife, Roxana Schmunk, in addition to the artistic director of Musical.IES, Melodie Pérez.

The Asociación Mosaico Canarias, a plural space for social education, will moderate different meetings called Corro, Espacios de Trabajo and Barraquito Meeting. To conclude the Forum, a survey will be done, ¿Y después, qué? [What next?], by Vicente Corrales, coordinator of the Programa Escuela y Salud de la Consejería de Educación y Universidades del Gobierno de Canarias. [School & Health Programme of the Ministry for Education and Universities of the Canaries Government.] 

Círculo de la Amistad XII de Enero in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is host to the second Encuentro de Coros [Choir Gathering] on Friday, 26 October at 8:30 pm. Participating choirs include Coro Carpe Diem, Coro de Cámara de Garachico, Coral Universitaria de La Laguna and Coro Juvenil de Auditorio de Tenerife, who have the honour of closing this choir gathering in Santa Cruz.

Coro Juvenil de Auditorio de Tenerife, directed by Roxana Schmunk, will be performing a repertoire that has strengthen their position after two years since setting up: ‘Yo no quiero morirme’, arranged by Dante Andreo and texts by Elsa López; ‘All of me’, theme by John Legend arranged by José Herrero; ‘And so it goes’, theme by Billy Joel and arrangements by Bob Chilcott plus the classic ‘Hallellujah’ by Leonard Cohen, arranged by the vocal group Pentatonix. In Ms. Schmunk’s opinion, “this gathering is a chance to share the stage with renowned choirs from the Island who have wide experience in performing”.

Círculo de la Amistad XII de Enero holds this II Encuentro de Canto Coral with the aim of supporting this activity in the city and offering their members and friends the chance to spend a pleasant musical evening with the Island’s choirs. It will be held at their social theatre and admission is free.

Ópera de Tenerife Choir faces the new productions in the 2018-2019 season, which is starting this week with Rossini’s The Italian in Algiers. The group, founded in 2004 by Carmen Cruz, who is also its director, plays their role in these productions. To reinforce the choir, a call has been opened to take part in a selection process to recruit new voices. The audition will take place at Sala de Cámara del Auditorio de Tenerife Adán Martín on 9 November at 5:00 pm.

The call is opened to people over 18 who must send their full name, date of birth, telephone number, CV and a pdf digital copy of the score they will be performing at the audition to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before 12:00 noon on 8 November.

People interested in taking part in the audition must choose one piece in the following styles: opera aria, zarzuela, chamber, oratory or bien ‘Italian songs’ (old arias).

The Coro de Ópera de Tenerife, who has fifty members, was presented in El elixir de amor, by Donizetti, conducted by Víctor Pablo Pérez. They have sung in more than 35 productions in the Ópera de Tenerife seasons.

Auditorio de Tenerife is hosting the Marketing & Communication Forum, a meeting place for professionals of European opera companies where different topics are discussed, in addition to sharing good practice experiences regarding audience communication.

Opera Europa holds forums specialising in different areas: artistic administration, production and technical production, fundraising and patronage, business and finance, costume, hairdressing and make up…these groups get together once or twice a year and act as an advice and support network for opera professionals. Opera Europa is the European association of opera companies and festivals and has 195 members from 43 countries.

On Friday, 19 October, Cabildo de Tenerife presented the opera The Italian in Algiers, to be performed at Sala Sinfónica in Auditorio de Tenerife from 25 to 28 October with students from the 6^th Opera (e)Studio. The details of the production were revealed by the Island Director for Culture and Education, José Luis Rivero, the artistic director of Opera (e)Studio, Giulio Zappa; the stage manager Giorgia Guerra; and musical director, Nikolas Nägele.

This new show by Ópera de Tenerife pays tribute to the composer Gioachino Rossini, on the 150^th anniversary of his death. This opera opens the new season on the Island and narrates, in a beautiful climate full of lovely and complex musical tessituras, how Isabella makes the most of her charm and intelligence to free her boyfriend, Lindoro, a prisoner of the King of Algiers.

José Luis Rivero said that “it is a pleasure to present the sixth Opera (e)Studio, the star project in the Ópera de Tenerife season” and added that “it’s very important for us to see what happens in the process; we have young professionals who are extraordinarily trained, who can perform an opera like this”.

Rivero pointed out that The Italian in Algiers is a co-production of Auditorio de Tenerife and Teatro Comunale di Bologna, which will be put on in Italy in June next year. Although this is the first time Giorgia Guerra directs an Opera (e)Studio show, this is actually her fourth production with Ópera de Tenerife. Ópera de Tenerife’s co-productions show the power, capability and scope of the project, which is possible thanks to the great team behind it.

On his part, Giulio Zappa was “very grateful to my production and music staff who help us to improve every year, to be better”. Opera (e)Studio director also stated that “we’re very happy to have been chosen by Creative Europe because it means they acknowledge our opera”. Zappa points out that “rather than being a violent language, opera joins us together, and proof of this is the different nationalities we have at Opera (e)Studio this year, they come from nearly all the continents in the world”.

Finally, Zappa highlighted that “this year marks the 150^th anniversary of Rossini’s death and I’m honoured to have Opera (e)Studio paying tribute to him with The Italian in Algiers, followed by The Journey to Reims on 15 December where the cast is made up of former Opera (e)Studio students. Rossini is very useful for young singers in musical terms. Every year I try to teach them things but the truth is I also learn a lot from them”. “This is a wonderful thing in our job, you feel like a student your whole life, you’re always learning”, Giulio Zappa concluded.

Giorgia Guerra said that “it’s my first experience with Opera (e)Studio” and “we’re celebrating the 150^th anniversary of Rossini’s death with this perfect gift: The Italian in Algiers.” “Rossini helped me a great deal to put together the stage management: listening to him made me close my eyes and let the music flow… This is how the concept for this opera came about. Being loyal to what the music demands, produced this little crazy thing as a result. The setting is a great hammam, which is like a wellness centre or a spa”.

“Sometimes the staging is surreal and it can even look like a musical, but we’ve always followed what Rossini’s music suggested. The costumes are very colourful but coherent with the Arab world, as for the Italian side, we got our inspiration from the 1990s fashion”, Guerra explained.

Musical director Nikolas Nägele -his first time in Tenerife- said that “we’ve been working with this wonderful team for three weeks now, including Sinfónica de Tenerife, the Choir and the thirteen young singers. Dealing with a great masterpiece is complicated as this is a great composition”.

The opera, along with the unmistakable Rossini style with energetic, dizzy melodies, is about a rescue mission led by Isabella. The Italian heroine manages to trick his captors and devices an escape plan in addition to leaving her imprint in this Mediterranean city.  The libretto deals with current and universal issues like interculturality or gender conflicts. The Italian in Algiers is one of the most difficult of Rossini’s operas to sing, especially the roles of Isabella and Mustafa.

The thirteen members of Opera (e)Studio were selected at auditions held last May in Bologna, Madrid and Tenerife. 113 artists from different cities in Europe, America or Asia competed for the roles. The singers are grouped in twos, so that two of them play the same role on alternate performances, on 25th and 27th, and 26th and 28th.

The singers performing in this production are the following: Maria Ostroukhova (mezzosoprano); Vittoria Vimercati (mezzosoprano); Milos Bulajic (tenor); Biao Li (tenor); Matías Moncada (bass); Aleksandr Utkin (bass); Gianni Giuga (baritone); Jorge Eleazar Álvarez (baritone); Francesco Samuele Venuti (bass/baritone); Esteban Baltazar (bass/baritone); Inés Lorans (soprano); Anna Kabrera (soprano) and Sophie Burns (mezzosoprano), who is present in all 4 performances.

The costumes, designed by Lorena Marin, have an amusing style in tune with the period, are brightly colourful intermixing European and north-African styles. Marin returns to work in Ópera de Tenerife, after participating in Werther in 2016. The Italian designer has worked in such well-known shows as Un ballo in maschera (Verdi) which opened the Festival dell'Opera dell'Arena in Verona; the Tabarro, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi trilogy (Puccini) at the Festival Puccini de Torre del Lago Nabucco (Verdi) or Nabucco (Verdi) at Shangai Opera House.

Opera (e)Studio is an Ópera de Tenerife project whose goal is to train singers by providing them with a comprehensive artistic improvement process, which started last September.

One of the main features of this initiative is its versatility as singers work on different aspects, from different music and stage performing techniques to style, diction, body language and drama combined with rehearsals at the pace set by professional theatre: costume fitting, make up, rehearsing with the orchestra.

Performances on Thursday, 25, Friday 26 and Saturday 27 start at 7:30 pm. The one on Sunday, 28 is at 6:00 pm at Sala Sinfónica in Auditorio de Tenerife.

Tickets can be purchased via the usual sale channels of Auditorio de Tenerife, at the box office from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm, Monday to Saturday; on the website here or by phone on 902 317 327.

El Auditorio de Tenerife recibe una jornada doble de danza este domingo 21 con la programación del Festival Internacional de las Artes del Movimiento (FAM) y la Extensión Tenerife de Masdanza, el Festival Internacional de Danza Contemporánea de Canarias. Los espectáculos comenzarán en el hall a las 20:30 horas con Business world, de la compañía Montón de Paja y Trigo, para luego, a partir de las 21:00 horas, presenciar la programación de Masdanza en la Sala de Cámara con las piezas D’MES, Unanswered Question, Relationships y Face à Face.

Business world, perteneciente al circuito nacional Acieloabierto, es una pieza para dos intérpretes que nace del cine mudo, consistente solo en imágenes. Este es el punto de partida de un espectáculo donde las relaciones comienzan a tejer de manera casual hasta acabar relacionándose de una manera mucho más directa. El movimiento se trabaja de forma abstracta, vacío de significado, en un juego donde el texto, la danza y la palabra se ponen al servicio y la creación de diferentes imágenes que recuerdan varios lugares aislados, influenciados por los patrones del cine mudo y absurdo.

D’MES es una pieza de danza proveniente de Turín (Italia), cuyos creadores e intérpretes son Daniele Salvitto y Federica Francese, quienes parten de la premisa de que vivimos un momento en el que la soledad y el aislamiento están secando al ser humano, dando lugar a hijos de la globalización y esclavos de la tecnología.

Unanswered Question llega desde Corea del Sur de la mano de su creador, Jonghyun Cha, quien también la interpretará junto a Wubin Lim. La pieza pregunta continuamente a la audiencia, a través de los movimientos de los bailarines, alentando al público a encontrar sus propias respuestas.

Desde China aterriza en el Auditorio Relationships, junto a sus creadores, Zhiren Xiao y Ran Sun. Esta obra, que interpreta Xiao junto a Mengbo Li, cuenta con la canción Lili’s Death de Alexandre Desplat. Este trabajo reflexiona sobre las relaciones, que son el proceso de transferir emociones, actitudes, hechos, creencias e ideas de una persona a otra.

Face à Face llega a la isla desde la República Democrática del Congo bajo la firma de Pepe Naswa Raison, David Bakonese y André Bakambay, estos dos últimos intérpretes de la misma. Esta pieza parte de la danza al diálogo, busca promover la paz a través de la danza, promover la cultura del diálogo y la reconciliación a través de encuentros cara a cara.

Las entradas se pueden adquirir en los canales habituales del Auditorio de Tenerife, en taquilla de 10:00 a 19:30 horas de lunes a sábado, por internet a través aquí o por teléfono en el 902 317 327.

On Sunday, 21st Auditorio de Tenerife welcomes two dance shows: Festival Internacional de las Artes del Movimiento (FAM) and Extensión Tenerife de Masdanza, the Festival Internacional de Danza Contemporánea de Canarias [Canaries Contemporary Dance International Festival]. The shows start at the hall at 8:30 pm with Business World, by the Montón de Paja y Trigo company. At 9:00 pm, we can enjoy the Masdanza programme at Sala de Cámara with the pieces D’MES, Unanswered Question, Relationships and Face à Face.

Business World, is part of the Acieloabierto national tour. Inspired by silent films, it is a two-dancer piece and consists mainly of images. This is the starting point of a show in which relationships are made by chance to then develop into more direct exchanges. Movement is dealt with in an abstract way, empty of meaning, a game where the text, dance and words serve to create different images that recall isolated places, influenced by silent and absurd films.

D’MES is from Torino (Italy), and was created and performed by Daniele Salvitto and Federica Francese, who start from the premise that in our current life loneliness and isolation are drying up human beings, producing as a result, children of globalization and technology slaves.

Unanswered Question comes all the way from South Korea and was created by Jonghyun Cha, who also dances with Wubin Lim. The piece is permanently asking the audience through the movements of the dancers, encouraging viewers to find their own answers.

From China Relationships lands on the Auditorio, together with its creators Zhiren Xiao and Ran Sun. This piece, performed by Xiao and Mengbo Li, includes the song Lili’s Death by Alexandre Desplat. It is a reflection on relationships, which are the process of conveying emotions, attitudes, facts, beliefs, and ideas from one person to another.

Face à Face arrives on the island from the Congo Democratic Republic. It is signed by Pepe Naswa Raison, David Bakonese and André Bakambay, the latter also perform it. This piece uses dance as dialogue, it seeks to promote peace through dance, promote the culture of dialogue and reconciliation through face to face encounters.

Tickets can be purchased via the usual sale channels of Auditorio de Tenerife, at the box office from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm, Monday to Saturday; on the website here or by phone on 902 317 327.

The  Cabildo presented the sixth season of Quantum Ensemble on Monday, 15 October at a press conference. The new season of this Auditorio de Tenerife resident ensemble includes seven concerts, the first of which - Apocalipsis - is to take place on Wednesday, 17^th at 7:30 pm at Sala de Cámara. The Island Director for Culture, José Luis Rivero, and the Quantum Ensemble musicians, Cristo Barrios, Gustavo Díaz-Jerez and David Ballesteros, explained the new programme which, in addition to the concerts, includes talks, master classes for Conservatory students and rehearsals opened to groups at risk of social exclusion.

José Luis Rivero stated that “Auditorio de Tenerife is very proud of Quantum Ensemble, a catalyst for following projects, like Orquesta Barroca de Tenerife and Lava dance company”. “Since it was set up in 2013, Quantum Ensemble has always been a quality collaborating group that approaches classical music in a more flexible, friendly manner”, Rivero explained, to then add that “Quantum is a great musical reality in our country and abroad, which has an influence on our community where they teach but also learn”.

Pianist Gustavo Díaz-Jerez, who was recently awarded the Composición Musical award by Fundación Martín Chirino, said that “we, as Canarian people, are proud to be able to offer our art to the audience this way”, and pointed out that “we’re one of the few ensembles in Spain to carry out community activities”.

Clarinet player Cristo Barrios went over the season concerts and highlighted that “we’ve followed our own taste in the programme and have included contemporary music from the 20^th and 21^st centuries, premieres and Canarian composers”.

Finally, violinist David Ballesteros admitted that “Quantum Ensemble’s concerts are a good opportunity for people who are not familiar with this type of music”. “We’ve got a big responsibility when we invite groups who don’t usually have access to music or whose education has not put them in touch with it. Both these groups and us benefit from this relationship”, he explained.

In their first season concert, Apocalipsis, they will play Quartet for the End of Time, by Olivier Messiaen, which was composed during the 2^nd World War at a concentration camp and premiered in one of the barracks. The three founding members of Quantum Ensemble plus the cellist Ángel Luis Quintana will use a rare instrument, the theremin, to be played by Lydia Kavina, granddaughter of Léon Theremin’s first cousin.

The second concert, Despedida [Farewell], will take place on 22 November at Paraninfo of Universidad de La Laguna and will include pieces by Schubert and Penderecki. The last show in the year is on 20 December, Ecos, a map of Scandinavian music that includes the performance of mezzosoprano Marta Fontanals-Simmons and the Coro Juvenil de Auditorio de Tenerife. Shéhérazade, a homage to the narrator and heroine of One thousand and one nights, opens 2019 on 21 February. We can enjoy Artes on 21 March, a programme designed to highlight how different works of art and different art forms relate to one another. On 11 April Retrato [Portrait] includes the chamber music by composer Leonard Bernstein along with the Spanish Brass Luur Metalls. The season closes on 9 May with Claroscuro, that includes Vienna quartet Minetti and will focus on great masters in the history of music: Mozart and Shostakovich. Each concert has guest musicians and singers invited by the members of the Ensemble to suit the needs of the repertoire.

In addition to the season concerts, Quantum Ensemble also performs outside Tenerife and takes part in the Festival de Música de Canarias with two shows. Quantum Ensemble’s main differentiating feature is their modern approach to classical music, turning it into a more friendly and flexible art form. In addition to master classes, sessions for groups and before-the-show talks, this ensemble offers close contact between the audience and the musicians, sharing their views before the concert starts and at the interval.

Musicians Cristo Barrios, Gustavo Díaz-Jerez and David Ballesteros are not only the funding members of the ensemble but they are also the core of the group. The community activity of Quantum Ensemble consists of sensory sessions that help to approach music in a different way and as a tool of musical expression to groups who are at risk of social exclusion, physically and intellectually-disabled people, the elderly, prison users, etc. These activities are part of the Learning and Community areas of Auditorio de Tenerife, which enjoy the cooperation of Fundación Cepsa and Obra Social “la Caixa” that also offer their volunteer service in these sessions.

Every Friday, after the concert, Quantum Ensemble gives a Performance Class, designed for instrumentalists and singers, students of Conservatorio Profesional y Superior de Música de Santa Cruz de Tenerife and collaborating companies and institutions. Cristo Barrios leads the workshop in which he seeks to reflect on the role of the interpreter in the creative musical process, as well as develop the creative abilities in students. José Luis Rivero also mentioned that the season brings a new feature: the QB Package, which offers an additional 15 per cent discount for the 2018 concerts by Orquesta Barroca de Tenerife and Quantum Ensemble. Tickets and packages can be bought at the Auditorio de Tenerife box office from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm Monday to Saturday, via the internet on www.auditoriodetenerife.com or calling 902 317 327.

Opera (e)Studio singers are offering an opera recital at Paraninfo in Universidad de La Laguna on Tuesday, 9^th October at 7:30 pm. Seventeen arias by different composers are to be sung by the members of the 6^th learning academy fostered by Ópera de Tenerife. This recital is part of the collaboration agreement between Auditorio de Tenerife and Universidad de La Laguna. The singers are also giving a recital at Auditorio de Arafo on Thursday, 11th at 7:30 pm. Admission to both recitals is free.

The programme includes interpreting six arias from Rossini’s The Italian in Algiers. From 25 to 28 October, this opera will be put on at Sala Sinfónica of Auditorio de Tenerife to open the new Ópera de Tenerife season. At the Paraninfo recital, eleven more arias from different operas will be interpreted too, including Anna Boleyn, Don Giovanni, Romeo and Juliet.

Hana Lee is accompanying pianist in both programmes which include the following singers: Maria Ostroukhova, Milos Bulajic, Matías Moncada, Gianni Giuga, Francesco Samuele Venuti, Inés Lorans, Sophie Burns, Vittoria Vimercati, Biao Li, Aleksandr Utkin, Esteban Baltazar, Anna Kabrera and Jorge Eleazar Álvarez.

The Opera (e)Studio singers arrived on the Island in early September and they have attended training sessions on different aspects in addition to master classes by the artistic director of Opera (e)Studio, Giulio Zappa; by soprano Mariella Devia; by musical director, Nikolas Nagele, and by Ópera de Tenerife’s intendant, Alejandro Abrante.