Plácido Domingo headlines the program of ‘La Rioja Festival’, which unites music and heritage

Tenor Plácido Domingo heads the musical program of the fifth edition of ‘La Rioja Festival’, which will be held from May 14 to 24, with ten concerts spread throughout the Rioja geography and activities to enjoy more than forty experiences that combine music, gastronomy, wine tourism and heritage. This Wednesday, the artistic director of the festival and international guitarist, Pablo Sainz-Villegas (Logroño, 1977), explained it to EFE in the Riojan capital. He is in charge of presenting the festival’s program, which this year has the motto ‘Crucible’ and a lineup that will allow us to ‘enjoy the best music’. Alongside Plácido Domingo, who will perform on May 23rd accompanied by the ADDA Simfònica, conducted by Josep Vicent; the festival will feature “really special guests” such as the Quiroga Quartet, National Music Award 2018, accompanied by baritone José Antonio López.

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Pianists Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung, trumpeter Pacho Flores, guitarist Jesús Pingüino González and lutenist José Miguel Moreno, an international reference in historical interpretation, are among the other artists who will participate in the festival; as well as the Renaissance vocal ensemble VOCES8 Scholars, harpist Sara Águeda and actor Pepe Viyuela.

Support for the rural world

“Art and music unite,” Sainz-Villegas has underlined, which explains the motto ‘Melting Pot’ of this edition of the festival, with which the organization and direction of the event are “celebrating” and “proud to support the rural world, collaborate and work with local communities.” Sainz-Villegas will also star in another of the great concerts, where he will lead ‘Noche española’, a journey through some of the most emblematic pages of Spanish music and its popular resonances.

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The festival will open with a display of ‘La Carroza del Real’, the traveling stage of the Teatro Real as part of its ‘Cerca de ti’ project, a reflection of its vocation as a national opera of reference and its commitment to bring lyricism to new audiences.