Great musicals come alive at L'Auditori in a concert by TRAM and the ARA

The Auditori de Barcelona hosted an evening dedicated to the great Broadway and West End hits in a concert jointly organized by TRAM, Barcelona's tram system, and ARA. The event, conceived as a musical celebration open to all audiences, drew a large and diverse crowd. For the past four years, this event has combined popular music with a symphonic format, coinciding with the Christmas holidays. Once again, the success of this Christmas event filled the Pau Casals Hall to enjoy the best melodies from the cinematic universe, timeless classics, and the best of pop culture.

The Sing_Us Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Miquel Ortega, performed an extensive and diverse program, structured as a journey through some of the most influential film scores and musicals of the 20th century. Ortega opted for a functional and precise conducting style, with constant attention to the balance between voices and orchestra, and with clear criteria for the dramatic organization of the repertoire.

Sondheim and the classics of cinema

The concert opened with Edelweiss, of The Sound of MusicRichard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's work marked a restrained beginning, placing the audience in a register of nostalgia and collective memory. From then on, Andrew Lloyd Webber's work became one of the cornerstones of the program. Think of Me and The Phantom of the Opera They allowed Sofía Escobar's voice to shine, with a solid lyrical register and a measured interpretation. Memory, of Cats, functioned as one of the most recognizable moments of the concert, while Don't Cry for Me Argentina, ofAvoidWith lyrics by Tim Rice, it introduced a more narrative and theatrical tone.

Another of the central blocks was the one dedicated to West Side Story, by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Somewhere, Maria and Tonight They demonstrated Bernstein's ability to integrate symphonic and popular musical language in performances that stood out for the collaborative work between the orchestra and the solo voices, transporting those present to the golden age of Broadway musicals.

ABBA and pop culture

The program also incorporated pieces associated with contemporary pop culture, such as Dancing Queen, of Mamma Mia!, based on the songs of the famous Swedish group ABBA. Its inclusion brought a lighter and more rhythmic feel, in contrast to the more dramatic tone of other fragments, and reinforced their desire to open the concert to a wide audience.

The Disney universe had a significant influence, especially through the music of Alan Menken. The pieces byThe Hunchback of Notre Dame and ofAladdin They showcased the orchestral complexity of a repertoire often associated with family audiences, but with a clear symphonic ambition. The pieces transported the adults back to their earliest childhood, while the children enjoyed the soundtracks of their most beloved characters.

Duets and Christmas carols

Manu Pilas took on some of the most expressively intense moments of the concert, such as the Tango of Roxanne (the music from the dance scene in Moulin Rouge!), an adaptation of The Police song, which raised the decibel level in L'Auditori's main hall. The duets with Sofía Escobar, especially in The Phantom of the OperaThey contained some of the most celebrated moments of the evening. The instrumental interlude of the work itself gave prominence to the orchestra, which displayed cohesion and skill.

The final part of the concert incorporated a Christmas blog, with It's Beginning to Look at Lot Like Christmas, performed by Manu Pilas, and Silent Nightwith Pilas and Escobar sharing vocals. An intimate and restrained closing that brought to a close an evening conceived as a meeting place for symphonic music, popular repertoire, and the cultural celebration of the festivities.