The Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, along with the soprano Yolanda Auyanet and the tenor Antonio Gandía, delighted a captive audience in Las Palmas with “Ópera Viva”
Boluda Lines donated 120 containers to make up the spectacular stage structure and 50,000 m2 venue
On 22 July La Luz container terminal in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, managed by Boluda Corporación Marítima, once again served as a unique setting for the symphonic concert “Ópera Viva”, with an audience of nearly 3,000. The concert is part of the program of the 21st International Festival of Theatre, Music and Dance (Temudas Fest), held on the island of Gran Canaria from 6 July to 5 August.
Boluda Corporación Marítima supported the International Temudas Festival, organized by Las Palmas City council, by sponsoring the symphonic recital as part of its Humanitarian Transport program, and the corporate social responsibility policy developed by the company in recent years to promote cultural initiatives.
City architect Juan Espino was commissioned with designing the layout to turn La Luz terminal’s 50,000 square metres into an opera house. The backdrop, seating area and entrances, framed by two 80m high, 800 ton post-Panamax cranes, were constructed using 120 containers donated by Boluda Lines, the company’s division for comprehensive transport and international cargo management services.
Boluda Corporación Marítima has sponsored the Temudas symphonic concert for the sixth year running; this time, the Choir and the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra (OFGC), directed by Luis García Santana and Rodrigo Tomillo, created “Opera Viva”, a journey through famous operatic literature in Italy, Germany and France.
Titles that enthralled the audience included La Bohème, Norma, Romeo and Juliet, Werther, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Turandot, interpreted by two internationally renowned singers: the soprano from Gran Canaria Yolanda Auyanet, and the tenor Antonio Gandía.
The interesting and appealing program also included lesser-known but beautiful pieces from Iris and L’amico Fritz by Pietro Mascagni. The event began with a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien Op. 45, another tribute to the Italian canzone genre.
This marks the sixth consecutive year that the OFGC, along with the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Festival of Theatre, Music and Dance, has ventured away from more traditional venues to bring music to the unusual setting of La Luz pier, where cranes and containers form an extraordinary backdrop.
This new edition confirms the international scope of the open air event that offers the appeal of a magnificent industrial environment, where cranes and containers merge with the evocative, salty sea breeze. The 85-minute long concert created a power and atmosphere that surprised the most discerning of audiences.
Thanks to the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Festival of Theatre, Music and Dance (Temudas) for providing the photographs, taken by Quique Curbelo.
