Fundación EDPNews

The International Festival of Santander kicked off its 66th Edition on Saturday with a great symphony concert by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of its lead conductor Juanjo Mena, together with Juan Pérez Floristán, who confirmed his international standing with this performance.

The concert was held at the Argenta Room at the Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria (Festival Hall of Cantabria). The EDP Foundation sponsored this wonderful event, \”reaffirming its commitment to one of the most important cultural events in Cantabria\”, as well as the Cantabrian region itself, which is one of its main fields of interest.

At this first symphony event, Beethoven's 'Egmont' overture, Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique were played and the Sevillian pianist, winner of the Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition in 2015, played “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” by Rachmaninov along with the British orchestra.

Juanjo Mena is one of the most renowned Spanish conductors on the international circuit and is currently lead conductor of the BBC Philharmonic. The English radio orchestra, one of six BBC orchestras, known for its versatility and exploring innovative repertoires, performs over a hundred concerts a year. The presence at the inaugural concert of the Festival of Juan Perez Floristán, who is loved and respected by the Cantabrian public, attested to the international standing of the Sevillian pianist. Winner of the First Prize and Audience Prize at the Paloma O'Shea Piano Competition in Santander and First Prize at the Steinway Competition in Berlin (2015), Juan Pérez Floristán is already a leading light among the new generations of Spanish and European musicians.