Opera Flash mob in Valencia's Mercado Central

Opera en el Mercado from esoqueseconocecomolaopera on Vimeo.

Wish I'd been there! I just love these things. Members of Valencia's wonderful opera house, Palau de les Arts a couple of days ago in the beautiful Art Nouveau Mercado Central, said to be Europe's largest covered indoor market. See more of this beautiful city by visiting thisisvalencia.com or buying Tim Birch's excellent just published Frommer's guide to the city 'Valencia day by day'

Opera in Viveros Gardens, Valencia

It was a night at the opera on a sultry Saturday evening in the lovely Viveros Gardens in Valencia. A night of the 'best ofs', All your favourite Arias sung by some great Pro (Semi-Pro?) soloists and a good orchestra. All conducted by someone who looked suspiciously like Gene Wilder. Of course, it wasn't him, but curiously, there was no printed program or any mention anywhere in the venue or on the program of who any of them were. Having searched around, we think it might have been the State Opera of Bulgaria.
We discovered a new (to us) drink, Limon Granizada and Beer Clara (shandy) - discovered by our good friends, the Roddises on a previous jaunt to Viveros to see Coppelia.
The rain came midway through the second half of the concert and many of the audience did a runner, shame! Most of us had umbrellas and some, pictured above, used alternative methods of shelter!

La Fura dels Baus at the Palau de les Arts, Valencia

If you were paying attention and have read and digested our latest lovely newsletter - you will have known, just in time, that there was a free performance outside the Palau de les Arts last night of 'Anell de llum' (Ring of Light) at 22.30.
It was a free performance and gave the public a spectacular taste of what the audience see at the Wagner opera, Siegfied.

This unique performance by the troupe who gave us the opening ceremony of the Barcelona Olympics, was in three parts and based on Light, Dawn, Daylight and Sunset.

It was an incredible performance, with sound from the full orchestra and singers and light projected over the Palau. There were glass tanks with mermaids splashing and suspended from a huge crane, there were absailers and robots and giants and a web made up of 42 people suspended above our heads.

It was a marvellous evening and if you are thinking that this is a little mean, telling you how great something you missed was, then don't. We are telling you because there is another chance to see it next Thursday 19th June at 22:30 - DO NOT MISS IT!

Thanks to Diana Jean and to Derek Workman for the Photos!

New season at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia

The fabulous Palau de les Arts, Valencia's Opera House has announced the new season which includes the Festival del Mediterrani in May 2008 - for more details click the headline. And subscribe to our excellent fortnightly newsletter by sending an email to newsletter at thisisvalencia dot com.