Oviedo and music

History

Architecture

Opera de Oviedo
www.operaoviedo.com
Operatic activity began in Oviedo in the 17th century with the building of the “Casa de Comedias del Fontán”, later known by the name Teatro del Fontán. It is here that the city’s first operas were performed.
With the passage of time the Teatro del Fontán deteriorated but still played host to singers such as Giorgio Ronconi, Lorenzo Abruñedo and Enrico Tamberlik.
At the end of 1870, the Teatro del Fontán was in need of such major renovation that the council decided to build a new theatre. Work began in 1883 and the new building was opened on 17 September 1892 with the opera “Les Huguenots” by G. Meyerbeer.
From 1907 onwards, the Teatro Campoamor became the home of the “Sociedad Filarmónica”. Operas continued to be performed but not very regularly.
In 1934, during the Civil War, the Teatro Campoamor was partly burnt down and suffered serious damage. After a long period of renovation, the theatre reopened in September 1948 with Massenet’s opera “Manon” sung by Victoria de los Ángeles, Giacinto Prandelli, Giuseppe Flamini and Manuel Ausensi, directed by Napoleone Annovazzi.
From 1948 to the present day, opera has been a major part of the Teatro Campoamor’s programming. Oviedo City Council and, since 1978, the ”Asociación Asturiana de Amigos de la Ópera” have planned the city’s opera seasons which take place from September to February.
In 2008, the Ópera de Oviedo will be celebrating its 70th anniversary, marking the fact that these opera seasons along with those of the Liceo in Barcelona are the oldest in Spain.

The 2007-2008 Season will begin in September with Tristan und Isolde (R. Wagner), and will continue in October with Thaïs (J. Massenet), in November with Lucia di Lammermoor (G. Donizetti), in December with Iphigénie en Tauride (C.W. von Gluck) and in January 2008, with Macbeth (G. Verdi).

ZARZUELA Season
www.ayto-oviedo.es
The Zarzuela Season is one of the city of Oviedo’s most important cultural and musical events for its quality, its intensity and the enthusiasm of all the music lovers who attend the shows. It is today a genuine benchmark festival both nationally and internationally.
Every year new productions are put on. For the 2007 season, in its 15th year, the Season is offering a new production of Arrieta’s ”Marina", the fruit of collaboration between the Teatro Campoamor and the Ópera de Oviedo. Furthermore, in July and August, the Season will include a new production at the Teatro Campoamor of “Los Gavilanes” by J. Guerrero.

Teatro Campoamor: The true emblem of the city, this is where the prestigious “Príncipe de Asturias” prizes are awarded, and where the Opera and Zarzuela Seasons are held.
Opened in 1892, it has undergone major changes on several occasions. The building is constructed with a simplicity of design that reflects all the influences of Romantic Classicism. Its elegant façade is neoclassical in style, in a horizontal design with five large bay windows.
The theatre interior was influenced by the Teatro de la Comedia in Madrid, with everything in shades of gold and red. In the middle of the curtain is the city’s symbol. In the vestibule on the first floor stands a statue of Ramón de Campoamor, the Asturian poet after whom the theatre is named.

Oviedo Symphony Orchestra: One of Spain’s newest orchestras, set up at the city’s initiative, it made its debut in 1999 with a concert given at the Teatro Campoamor. Among its musicians the orchestra includes members of the “Moscow Virtuosi” orchestra. The orchestra performs during the Opera and Zarzuela Seasons in Oviedo and throughout Spain.

“Prince Philip” Auditorium: This is both an auditorium and a conference centre. Opened on 29 April 1999, it was designed by architect Rafael Beca with a view to creating a modern neo-classical construction.
It has been designed to be able to host different kinds of event, from conferences and lectures to exhibitions and concerts.

Situated in north-eastern Spain, Oviedo plays an important role as Capital of Asturias. Its history began in the Middle Ages with the Kingdom of Asturias.

The town was founded in 761 by the monks Máximo and Fromestano. The choice of location for the town, in the middle of the Asturias region, quickly enabled it to become a commercial, military and ecclesiastical centre.
King Fruela, fourth king of the Asturian monarchy, contributed greatly to the development of the city. Then King Alfonso II transferred the Court from Pravia to the city of Oviedo, thus conferring on it the status of capital of the Kingdom.

The creation of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela (St James’ Way) also contributed to the city’s growing importance. If you add to this the construction of the church dedicated to El Salvador (Our Holy Saviour) and the Royal Palace, it was the reign of Alfonso II that marked the real starting point in the city’s history.
Oviedo then became the epicentre of Asturian art thanks to artistic influences inherited from the East and to the predominance of the pre-Romanesque style. After the death of King Alfonso III the Great, the court moved to León. Oviedo was then associated with the Holy Relics conserved in the cathedral, and a continuous flow of pilgrims came to visit “El Salvador”, now an essential stop on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

The following centuries (13th – 16th century) saw the development of the famous “medieval city”, from which period certain features of urban architecture still remain (the ramparts around the city and the Los Pilares aqueduct).
Today Oviedo is the capital of the Principality of Asturias and has managed to conserve its cultural identity. The development of trade enabled the city to grow in economic importance. Oviedo is also a world-famous city due notably to the annual ceremony held there to award the Príncipe de Asturias prize and to the fact that many international companies have located there.

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Some Highlights

Some Highlights

Gardens & in the surrounding area

San Miguel de Lillo Church: Built during the reign of Ramiro I, the church of San Miguel de Lillo was partially destroyed in the 11th century. Today only the west side still stands. This building introduced the pre-Romanesque style into the Asturias region. In this church the sculptures are of particular importance and, in its pictorial representations, this is the place where the first depictions of human beings are to be found in frescoes.

Santa María del Naranco Church: 300 metres from the San Miguel de Lillo Church stands Santa Maria del Naranco, the most emblematic building of Asturias. Commissioned by King Ramiro I (842-850), the building includes a number of architectural innovations, such as barrel vaults, arches and buttresses.

The Holy Chamber: A construction attributed to King Alfonso II (791-842), the Holy Chamber occupies two floors, the first dedicated to Santa Leocadia and the second to San Miguel, where the relics of San Salvador are conserved.
The worship of relics as well as devotion to San Salvador have continued to grow since the 11th century. The shrine has now become one of the centres of Christianity.

The Foncalada Fountain: Dating from the 9th century, this fountain is an extraordinary piece of water engineering from the early Middle Ages. Built in the form of a small temple, the fountain was built to shelter the gushing water from the spring sunshine and to fill the reservoirs.

Santa María de Bendones Church: Built in the reign of King Alfonso II (781-842), the altar in the south chapel has been conserved. A bell tower was later added to the original construction. The church has undergone major extension work since its discovery in 1954.

The Cathedral: Built on the ruins of a church built by Fruela I in 765, which was destroyed by the Arabs in 794. Over the years the basilica of San Salvador has been enlarged on many occasions, financed by donations from successive monarchs. The basilica became a major centre of pilgrimage.
In the 14th century, construction of the Gothic cathedral began, and it took nearly three centuries. It was to take almost another century to build the chapels and pantheons that complete the building. The main part of the cathedral dates from the 15th century, which is why the Flamboyant Gothic predominates among its various styles.

The old town: The very essence of the city of Oviedo is concentrated in the old quarter. The arrangement of the streets of the old town has not basically changed since the 8th century The layout consists of three parallel roads that correspond, at either end, to the gates of Oviedo’s city walls. The cathedral, with its impressive towers, was built in the centre of the old quarter. A large open square at its foot allows the visitor to admire its façade.

Pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela: When in the 9th century, King Alfonso II set out on a journey between Oviedo and Iria Flavia, his aim was to visit the newly discovered tomb of the apostle St James and to build a church in his memory. The route between Oviedo and Compostela is the first of the ways of St James. With the passage of time, other pilgrimage routes emerged and the Caminos de Santiago de Compostela are today one of the most significant pilgrimages for Christianity.

San Francisco Park: Right in the centre of Oviedo, this garden was once the kitchen garden of the San Francisco Convent. It was transformed into a large garden measuring 90,000 m² in the 19th century. Today the garden has an abundance of paths adorned with various monuments. The park also serves as an exhibition space and hosts gatherings during the city’s many festivals.

Campillín Gardens: Situated beside the Santo Domingo church, the gardens were created after the Spanish Civil War, as this district had been completely razed to the ground.

“Parque Nacional de los Picos de Europa”: This is Spain’s first national park, created in 1918 at the initiative of the Marqués de Villaviciosa. Composed of three mountain ranges, the park includes Spain’s most hardy oceanic forests and is particularly rich in wildlife.

Avilés: Situated on the coast, to the west of Cap Peñas, Avilés is an old market town of fishermen and small farmers. Today it is the third largest town in the principality of Asturias. Its old town is listed as a historic site. Not to be missed: the pedestrianised streets of Galiana and Rivero, the Plaza de España, the Town Hall and the old Sabugo Church, dating from the 13th century. Avilés was also a major mining centre with its iron and steel industry, that is gradually disappearing today.

Gijón: On the shores of the Gulf of Gascony stands Gijón. Its past as a Roman town and the growth it experienced in the 16th century have left their mark on the architectural heritage and urban development of the town. The fishermen’s quarter of Cimadevilla is a curious combination of Roman remains, aristocratic manors and simple fishermen’s houses, making Gijón an ideal place for a stroll into the heart of Asturian history.

Cangas de Onís: Tucked down in the valley formed by the Sella and Güeña rivers, the Roman bridge, a principal feature of the town, was listed as a historic and artistic Monument in 1931. It has five arches, three of them pointed. Another of the town’s attractions, the Santa Cruz hermitage, is remarkable for the age of its construction, dating back to 437. Also worth seeing are other interesting buildings such as the town hall, dating from the end of the 19th century, the Renaissance-style Cortés Palace and the 16th-century San Antonio chapel.

Cudillero: A picturesque little fishing port, leaning against the slope of a mountain. It has some amazing hanging houses. The village offers several pleasant walks with fantastic views, among them the path to the lighthouse, La Garita, La Atalaya and El Pico.

Food & Drink

Festivals

Fishs
Bonito del Norte : Tuna of the region
Lubina a la sidra : Fish with cider
Fabes con Almejas : Beans with cockle
Chipirones en su tinta : Octopus cooked in its ink
Merluza a la marinera : Fich with cokle sauce

Meat
Fabada : Meat with beans
Callos a la Asturiana : Tripes
Chicken with cider

Cheese
Cabrales

Desserts
Casadielles : cookies with nuts
Frixuelos : doughnut with cream ( in November)
Arroz con Leche : Rice with milk

Local drink : the Cider

The 12 nights of processions: These take place every 5 January and are undeniably one of Oviedo’s most important processions. Around 2000 people and animals take part each year. Among them, Prince Aliatar the messenger of the Three Kings. During the procession people place offerings made for the infant Jesus in the cathedral square.

La Noche de San Juan: St John’s night takes place on 24 June. This is the festival of light par excellence and has its origin in the pagan tradition of the fires of joy. With the passage of time, the popular custom has been kept alive and has been turned into a Christian celebration. Asturian traditional and folk dances are held around “bonfires of joy” and mark the beginning of the summer holidays.

“Martes del Campo” or the “Balesquida”: A festival on the first Pentecostal Tuesday. This dates back to the 13th century and commemorates the gift made by Velasquita Giraldez to the brotherhood of “los Sastres” (tailors) to benefit the city’s poor. Still today, a procession goes from San Tirso Church to the Balesquida Chapel. Later, the tradition brings all the participants together in the San Francisco Park for wine and “bollu”, an Asturian speciality.

San Mateo: The religious celebration known as the “Perdonanza” or pardon which dates back to the 9th century, to the beginning of the veneration of holy relics. In the past, pilgrims would pass through Oviedo with the aim of completing their full pilgrimage. The large majority of pilgrims would arrive between 14 and 21 September, a period during which the San Mateo festivities took place. Today, this festival is celebrated throughout Spain. Furthermore, it has the special feature of celebrating both the end of the summer and the beginning of the academic year, but no longer has the religious connotation it had in the past. San Mateo is today a major local festival, and has been declared of National Tourist Interest, centred on the main day of 21 September.

The “Príncipe de Asturias” prize: The Prince of Asturias Foundation, established in 1980, awards this prize every year for scientific, human or cultural achievement. During an official ceremony held in the Teatro Campoamor, Felipe, Prince of Asturias (the king’s son), hands over the award in person.

Zarzuela Season: This festival, which takes place from February to June, is held each year in the Teatro Campoamor. In 2007, the composers Guiménez, Arrieta, Nieto and Chapí will be in place of honour.

Oviedo Jazz Festival: This festival takes place each year in July in three of the city’s institutions: the Teatro Campoamor, the forecourt of the University and the Teatro Tribeca. Several leading lights from the jazz, gospel and blues scene come to perform at this festival.

Things to Do

Hôtels

Restaurants  

The Archaeological Museum: Located in the cloister of the Benedictine Monastery of St Vincent, the museum contains objects from prehistory to the pre-Roman period.

Oviedo Diocesan Museum: Opened in 1990, the museum is located in the upper cloister of the cathedral. In its eight rooms you can see holy objects, accompanied by passages from the bible that reflect the message conveyed by these works.

Tabularium Artis Asturiensis: A private museum founded in 1947 by Joaquin Pommeraies, official chronicler of Asturias. Its collection includes many Asturian works of art.

Hôtel Occidental de la Reconquista *****
c/ Gil de Jaz, 16
Oviedo 33004
Located in the historical centre of Oviedo, the hotel was built in 1973, and offer a 18th century type architecture.

Silken Monumental Naranco ****
Fernando Vela 13,
Oviedo 33001
Inaugurated in 2001, the hotel is facing the beautiful Naranco valley.

NH Principado ***
c/ San Francisco, 6,
Oviedo 33003
A modern Hotel located next to the Campo de San Francisco. Its 97 rooms offer all comforts.

Del Arco:
Calle General Zubillaga
33005 Oviedo
Simple and good recipes, good choice of wines and excellent service. A nice place to have dinner with friends.

Botas:
Plaza de la Constitución
33009 Oviedo
Regional Cuisine

Casa Conrado:
Calle Argüelles
33003 Oviedo
Regional Cuisine

Official City of Oviedo site
http://www4.ayto-oviedo.es