Every December 26, the Palau de la Música Catalana is filled to celebrate the Concert de Sant Esteve. It is not just another musical event, but a tradition that has been repeated for generations and is part of Barcelona’ s Christmas calendar.
Its first edition took place in 1913. Since then, the Sant Esteve Concert has more than a century of history and is now one of the longest-lived Christmas musical traditions in Europe.
The prominence of choral singing in the Concert de Sant Esteve
Choral singing is the centerpiece of the Concert de Sant Esteve, an event closely linked to the Orfeó Català. On the stage of the Palau de la Música Catalana, the different choirs of the institution -from the children’s ensembles to the adult choirs- perform together in the same performance. The result is a striking image: hundreds of voices sharing space in one of the most emblematic halls of Barcelona.
The program alternates traditional Catalan carols with other works composed specifically for the occasion.
Throughout its history, the concert has only been interrupted on rare occasions, always due to exceptional historical circumstances, such as the Civil War. This continuity, rare even among the great European musical events, has ended up making it a fixed point in the cultural agenda of Barcelona, linked to the Palau, which is recognized and expected every December 26.
More concerts to celebrate Christmas in Barcelona
The offer of Christmas concerts in Barcelona is completed with very different proposals, such as the Canta Gran! in L’Auditori, the free concert of Christmas carols in front of the Cathedral of Barcelona or the recitals of Christmas soundtracks by candlelight.