The Orquesta Nacional de España (Spanish National Orchestra) is a Spanish orchestra based in
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
.
History
Although the orchestra originated as of 1937, during the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
, it was legally founded in 1940,
by the merging of Pérez Casas' ''Filarmónica'' and the ''Orquesta Sinfónica'' of
Enrique Fernández Arbós.
The first official concert of the newly founded orchestra was in March 1941 at the
Teatro María Guerrero in Madrid, conducted by the Portuguese conductor
Pedro de Freitas Branco (1896–1963). The principal conductors of the first years of the orchestra were
Ernesto Halffter, José María Franco,
Enrique Jordá,
Eduard Toldrà and
Jesús Arámbarri, until the designation of the first principal conductor of the orchestra, Bartolomé Pérez Casas. After the death of Pérez Casas, the new principal conductor was
Ataúlfo Argenta, who was in the orchestra from 1945 as the keyboard instruments player.
In 2014,
David Afkham became principal conductor of the orchestra. In February 2019, the orchestra announced the elevation of Afkham's title to chief conductor and artistic director, effective with the 2019–2020 season. In January 2023, the orchestra announced an extension of Afkham's contract through September 2026. Afkham is scheduled to stand down as chief conductor of the orchestra at the close of the 2025–2026 season.
In April 2024,
Kent Nagano
Kent George Nagano (born November 22, 1951) is an American conductor and opera administrator. Since 2015, he has been ''Generalmusikdirektor'' (GMD) of the Hamburg State Opera (until 2025).
Early life and education
Nagano was born in Berkeley, ...
first guest-conducted the orchestra. He returned for subsequent guest-conducting appearances in June 2021 and April 2024.
In December 2024, the orchestra announced the appointment of Nagano as its next artistic director and chief conductor, effective with the 2026–2027 season, with an initial contract of five seasons.
Principal conductors
* (1942–1947)
*
Ataúlfo Argenta (1947–1958)
*
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos (born Rafael Frühbeck; 15 September 1933 – 11 June 2014) was a Spanish conductor and composer. Frühbeck was born in Burgos, Spain to a family of German ancestry. He first took up conducting while on military serv ...
(1962–1978)
*
Antoni Ros-Marbà (1978–1981)
*
Jesús López-Cobos (1984–1989)
*
Aldo Ceccato
Aldo Ceccato (born 18 February 1934) is an Italian conductor.
Biography
Ceccato was born in Milan. He worked as assistant to Sergiu Celibidache and was music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra from 1973 until 1977. From 1976 until 198 ...
(1991–1994)
*
Josep Pons (2003–2011)
*
David Afkham (2014–2019, principal conductor; 2019–present, chief conductor and artistic advisor)
See also
*
Madrid Symphony Orchestra
*
Community of Madrid Orchestra
*
National Auditorium of Music
*
RTVE Symphony Orchestra
*
Queen Sofía Chamber Orchestra
*
Teatro Real
*
Teatro Monumental
*
Zarzuela
() is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular songs, as well as dance. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but some propose it may derive from the name o ...
References
External links
Official homepage of the Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España
*
{{Authority control
Musical groups established in 1940
Orchestras in Madrid
National orchestras
Spanish symphony orchestras
1940 establishments in Spain
Arts organizations established in 1940