Unicaja collaborates again in a new edition of the Santander International Festival with the sponsorship of the concert of the prestigious China NCPA orchestra, to be held on 10 August, at 20.00, in the Sala Argenta of the Palacio de Festivales. The orchestra will be conducted by the renowned maestro Myung - Whun Chung and will feature pianist Bruce Liu as soloist.
The repertoire will include Qigang Chen's Wu Xing ("Five Elements") suite for orchestra, Maurice Ravel's Concerto for piano and orchestra in G major, and Camille Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3 in C minor, op. 78, "Symphony with organ".
The China NCPA Orchestra is the resident orchestra of the National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing. Since it was founded in 2010, it has quickly established itself as one of the boldest and most dynamic in the country, carving out an international prestige, thanks to its numerous performances abroad.
The orchestra arrival in Santander is generating quite a lot of expectation, as it is its only performance in Spain, being one of the five destinations of its first European tour.
In addition, the orchestra will be accompanied by the famous pianist Bruce Liu. Born in Paris of Chinese parents and raised in Montreal, his personality gathers European refinement, North American dynamics and the long tradition of Chinese culture. He is currently considered one of the most exciting talents of his generation and, according to the Canadian newspaper The Globe, has achieved "rock star status in the world of classical music".
Conducting will be maestro Myung-Whun Chung, who has been at the helm of some of the world's leading orchestras in Europe, Asia and the United States. His long and distinguished musical career is marked by his appointment as conductor emeritus of the Filarmonica della Scala in Milan since 2023, principal guest conductor of the Dresden Staatskapelle, honorary music director of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra in Paris, and his recent appointment as artistic director of the new Busan Opera and Concert Hall in South Korea.
The collaboration with this event is part of Unicaja's sustainability strategy, supporting important cultural initiatives such as those developed by the Santander International Festival. The bank also maintains a firm commitment to Cantabria, as one of its regions of origin and one of the main areas where it operates.
Santander International Festival
The Santander International Festival (FIS), which this year celebrates its 74th edition, is a cultural reference in Spain and one of the leading festivals in the European summer program.
The FIS kicked off its performances on 1 August and will run until 31 August, with a total of 50 activities that bring together great performers and orchestras of international fame. Distinguished names in opera such as sopranos Pretty Yende, Sonya Yoncheva and Julia Kleiter, tenor Michael Fabiano and baritone Christian Gerhaher, renowned soloists such as violinist Hilary Hahn, pianists like Kathia Buniatishvili and András Schiff, historical orchestras like the Gewandhausorchester of Leipzig, The Hallé of Manchester and the Melbourne Symphony; as well as famous conductors like Andris Nelsons and Jaime Martín.
During these 31 days, the FIS presents twenty shows at the Palacio de Festivales, two at the Centro Botín and twenty-eight in the Marcos Históricos section. In addition, the program will commemorate the anniversaries of Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1721), Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741), Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) and Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975).
