The Strenes festival opened this Friday in Girona with a first day marked by concerts by Sílvia Pérez Cruz and La Ludwig Band, in addition to the double showing of Good people by Quim Masferrer, in the festival's first foray into humor. The 14th edition kicks off with more than 29,000 tickets sold and with 90% of the capacity already filled even before the start of the program.
The contest, which will be held until May 3, will bring together 34 proposals and marks the best advance sale in its history. Among the announced artists are Macaco, Maria Arnal, Ginestà and Dan Peralbo i el Comboi, in an edition that arrives with several shows already complete before its launch.
Tickets sold out in several of the major draws
One of the most notable sell-outs will be Joan Dausà's, who sold out tickets for his concert in the Fontajau pavilion, where he will gather more than 6,000 spectators to kick off his new tour of large venues. Luz Casal and Sílvia Pérez Cruz's two concerts at the Auditori have also hung the 'sold out' sign.
Joining that list are Buhos and Els Amics de les Arts on the cathedral stairs, in addition to La Ludwig Band, La Fúmiga, Lax"n"Busto, Manu Guix, Ginestà and the two sessions of the podcast Que no surti d"aquí.
An opening with music in the Plaza del Vi, theater and concert in La Mirona
Friday's activity began in the Vi square with the free concerts by Reykjavík and Partiperes, the space that Strenes reserves for new artists. Already in the afternoon, the Municipal Theater hosted the double showing of Quim Masferrer's theatrical show.
In parallel, Sílvia Pérez Cruz offered at the Auditori the first of two concerts with which she commemorates her 30 years of career. The night closed at La Mirona, where La Ludwig Band presented their new work, It is commented in the neighborhood.
The festival claims the moment of music in Catalan
"There is great quality and a stylistic variety for all types of audiences" - Xavi Pascual, director of the festival
The director of the competition, Xavi Pascual, linked the sales data to the moment that Catalan music is experiencing and also to the point at which the festival itself is. He defended that Strenes is going through a stage of artistic fullness and popularity, and maintained that the public clearly identifies with the event's proposal.
The programming continues today in the Municipal Theater and the Plaza del Vi
This Saturday's agenda includes the second concert by Sílvia Pérez Cruz and the presentation of new works by Guillem Roma and Ferran Palau at the Teatre Municipal. In the Plaça del Vi, Javito and Guillem Bautista will perform, as part of the free program to give visibility to new proposals.
With this start, Strenes consolidates its weight in Girona's musical calendar and faces the coming weeks with a public response that already anticipates one of the festival's most attended editions.