［CITY］
Santander … Spain
［SCHEDULE］
2026：8.3 … 8.31
To the festival site ▷
It is the largest in classical music festival in Spain. In addition to performances by opera, ballet, orchestra, there is a stage such as theater, dance, etc. The face as an integrated art festival, many of the performances are broadcasted by the Spanish Broadcasting Association (RTVE).
Santander is a beautiful port city facing the Cantabrian Sea in the northern part of Spain, crowded with resort guests in the summer. In the suburbs there is a small town called “Santillana del Mar” that leaves the medieval facade as it is, and there is also a cave of Altamira famous for the mural painting of cattle drawn 15,000 years ago in the vicinity.
The music festival was started in 1948, a concert performed for international students. After restarting as a full-fledged music festival in 1952, the concert in a special tent continued until “Palacio de Festivals” facing Santander Bay in 1991 was completed.
The main venue of the music festival is “Sarah Argenta” in “Palacio de Festivals”. In the hall named after the conductor Ataúlfo Argenta who worked for the establishment of the music festival, the audience seats are fewer than 1,700.
In parallel with the music festival, the Paloma O’Shea International Piano Competition is taking place. In the founding contest established in 1972, the final concert accompanied by the Madrid Symphony Orchestra is incorporated into the music festival. Paloma O’Shea is renowned as the founder of Queen Sofia Queen High School (Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia).
