The event, held at the Villa Viardot in Bougival, featured a performance by pianist Javier Perianes in collaboration with the Centre Européen de Musique. This recital symbolizes the starting point of a program with a European vocation, seeking to recognize the figure of Manuel de Falla on the 150th anniversary of his birth and the 80th of his passing.
“"This launch in Paris clearly reinforces Granada's international and European dimension, projecting our city as a cultural benchmark at a crucial moment for its candidacy for European Capital of Culture in 2031. Therefore, linking this anniversary of Manuel de Falla to Paris meant recognizing the composer's universality and placing Granada at the center of the European cultural map."
The choice of Paris as the inaugural venue is not accidental, given the composer's close relationship with the city between 1907 and 1914. During this period, Falla consolidated his international projection, completing works such as Cuatro piezas españolas and advancing compositions like Noches en los jardines de España and La vida breve. His stay in the French capital allowed him to interact with key musical figures such as Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and Igor Stravinsky.
The program for the Falla Year, which was already presented at the Ministry of Culture in Madrid, includes an intense musical agenda in Spain. Highlights include concerts by harpsichordist Benjamin Alard in Granada and Barcelona, as well as monographic programs by the Orquesta Ciudad de Granada. Institutions such as the Orquesta Nacional de España and the Orquesta Joven de Andalucía have also joined the tributes.
In Granada, the commemorative program will be particularly significant, with a broad agenda of musical, exhibition, and academic activities. Among them, the exhibition 'Manuel de Falla. A Contemporary Look' will open on April 28 at the Centro Cultural CajaGranada, offering a contemporary reinterpretation of his legacy. Additionally, the Centro Cultural Manuel de Falla will host the exhibition 'Essential Manuel de Falla' starting June 18.
The work of the Manuel de Falla Archive in Granada has been fundamental for the preservation and dissemination of the composer's legacy. The city, which houses the archive and the house where Falla resided, attracts researchers from all over the world and was a promoter of artistic gatherings, such as the 1922 Cante Jondo Contest, led by Manuel de Falla and supported by the poet Federico García Lorca.
