'Star Wars' and 'How to Train a Dragon' in the new 'Great Symphony' series at the Auditori del Fòrum
The project, promoted by the Palau de la Música and the Vallès Symphony Orchestra, also includes a tribute to Mike Oldfield.
BarcelonaThe Auditorium of the Barcelona International Convention Center, in the Fòrum, will host Great symphonic, the new project of the Palau de la Música and the Vallès Symphony Orchestra (OSV), which will take place from December 19 to 23. "It's a further step in the collaboration we've had with the Vallès Symphony Orchestra for thirty years," says Joaquim Uriach, president of the Fundació Orfeó Català - Palau de la Música Catalana. There will be three programs: one dedicated to Mike Oldfield and two on film soundtracks. Star Wars (1977) and How to train a dragon (2010). "We've been exploring different symphonic formats that incorporate other genres for some time now," recalls Jordi Cos, president of the OSV, as evidenced by the annual program at the Palau de la Música, where in February 2026 they will dedicate two concerts to anime music. One Piece, for those with few tickets left on sale.
"It's a series with three different proposals because we're not looking for just one type of audience," says Joan Oller, general manager of the Palau de la Música. The distinguishing feature of Great symphonic It's the space, the Auditori del Fòrum, which has a capacity of 3,000 people (a thousand more than the Palau de la Música) and has a stage large enough to house a large-format screen, ideal for film screenings. "Space is important, and this auditorium is like a huge movie theater with magnificent seats and very good acoustics for the orchestra and amplified parts. It has optimal conditions for the artists and the audience, guaranteeing acoustic quality and visibility," says Oscar Lanuza, manager of the OSV.
Singers Maggie Reilly and Nikki Lamborn
The first concert will be Beautiful tubular, tribute to Mike Oldfield, on December 19. It is a tribute to the British musician by Opus One Orchestra, a group created by Xavier Alern with the aim of interpreting the music of Mike Oldfield, following the 50th anniversary of the trilogy formed by the albums Tubular bellos(1973), Hergest Ridge(1974) and Ommadawn(1975). The concert at the Auditori del Fòrum will also feature singers Maggie Reilly and Nikki Lamborn. Reilly collaborated on Oldfield's albums since 1980, and is the voice of songs such as Five miles out and Moonlight shadow, and Lamborn is the leader of the group Never the Bride.
The second date of the cycle Great symphonic, dedicated to the soundtrack of How to train a dragon, includes two concerts: one on the 20th and the other on the 21st of December. That is, it will have a Christmas and family spirit. In this case, the Vallès Symphony Orchestra will play the soundtrack while the film is being screened. According to Lanuza, the live symphonic display "enhances the musical experience because the soundtrack composed by John Powell is more appreciated." The orchestra will be conducted by Scott Terrell, a musician with extensive experience in this type of format. In the weeks prior to the concerts in Barcelona, Terrell will conduct concerts in the United States dedicated to the soundtracks ofET, Shark and Nightmare Before Christmas, among others.
Terrell will also conduct the concerts on December 22 and 23, which will feature the music of Star Wars, a film, with a soundtrack by John Williams, "that connects with all generations," according to Oller. Both OSV programs have been authorized by the producers of the films to be screened: Dreamworks in the case of How to train a dragon and Disney's for Star Wars.
Both the Palau de la Música and the Vallès Symphony Orchestra want the series to continue and grow. "We're fulfilling one of the lines of the strategic plan: opening music to the outside of the Palau de la Música, broadening horizons by attracting young audiences, and experimenting with new formats," says Oller, who is working with "the desire to contribute to positioning Barcelona as a city of culture in December, to revitalize Barcelona in winter." The goal is for ticket prices (between 35 and 58 euros) "to cover the costs of the activity, because the series must be self-financing," assures Oller.