Q: Do you know where we can see operatic performances in Barcelona?

A: Opera is very popular in Barcelona and it's highly advisable to book in advance to secure your tickets (see following web sites or call information lines for details) The three main venues for operatic performances are:

Gran Teatre del Liceu
Palau de La Musica,
L'Auditori

Gran Teatre del Liceu information (0034) 93 485 99 00 (there is an English translation link on the site)

The nearest metro is Liceu which drops you right outside the theatre. The theatre is on the Ramblas about half way up.

Click here to see a photo of the Gran Theatre on our photo gallery part of the site

For classical music generally I suggest you look at these sites:

Palau de La Musica
Orfeo Catalan information Tel: (0034) 90 244 2882

L Auditori C/Lepant 150 Tel: (0034) 93 247 9300 Metro Marina on the (Red Line, L1)

Orquestra Simfonica de Barcelona OBC
Tel: (0034) 93 727 0300

When walking past any church take a quick peek at the information boards just outside the main entrances because they often give free classical music performances. I experienced one of the best Choral performances of my life in Santa Maria del Pi and it was totally free! (to see a picture of the church click here)

Just the memory of the night in Santa Maria Del Pi Church has given me goose bumps right now. I can vividly remember the dark interior with the sent of incence still lingering in the air after a recent mass. Once inside the church the sound of the street hustle and bustle was lost to silence which set the atmoshpere for the performance.

The resonant acoustics enhanced the superb choral performance which all came together to produce a breathtaking experience.

The audience was stunned by the performance. As was I. And the audience responded in a way I had never seen before - uncontrolled spontaneous applause even before the performance had fully completed their song, it was as though the audience could not hold back their feelings.

The whole evening's performance was more authentic than any paid performance I've experienced. We knew that the singers were performing out of shear love for their art and the joy of sharing it with us, a feeling that was transmitted through their voices and touched each one of us.

I highly recommend checking a few churches or the Barcelona Cathedral to see what gems you might discover. Perhaps you will be lucky and find a performance like the one I had. Other churches to check are: Sant Felip Neri, Santa Maria Anna in El Born, and of course the Barcelona cathedral.