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Mahler Universe
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Mahler Universe: Symphony No. 9 | March 31, 2026 - 19:30
Symphonic Cycle of the Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu
Maestro Josep Pons, leading the theater’s orchestra, will unveil the mysteries of Gustav Mahler’s final symphony (Kaliste, Bohemia, 1860 - Vienna, 1911): the Ninth. Premiered posthumously, it captures the essence of the world—from haunting subtlety to the most expansive eloquence. A wonderful opportunity to be captivated by a great Mahlerian like Pons.
Gustav Mahler was deeply aware of death while composing his Symphony No. 9: his four-year-old daughter, Maria, had passed away in 1907, and he could not even bear to mention her name. The family decided to move to Toblach (Tyrol, on the Austro-Italian border) in search of a new place to spend their summer holidays, fleeing painful memories. It was precisely there that he composed Das Lied von der Erde (1908), the Ninth Symphony (1909), and fragments of the Tenth (1910).
That same year, he was diagnosed with a heart condition that would lead to his death four years later. He could no longer walk or exert himself physically in the mountains, nor enjoy nature as he once had. This frustration led him to isolate himself in his composition cabin, and with growing pessimism about a life that was nearing its end, he began writing the Ninth Symphony. This symphony, therefore, is marked by his preoccupation with death and a general sense of despair about life.
Alban Berg wrote to his wife in 1912: “The first movement is the greatest Mahler ever composed. It is the expression of a profound love for this earth, the longing to live in it peacefully and to enjoy nature in its deepest essence—before death arrives. Because death is inevitable. This entire movement is dominated by the premonition of death (...). It is the culmination of everything on earth and of dreams.”
Gustav Mahler is one of the composers who best captures the anxieties of today’s society. In a way, each of his nine symphonies contains a truly awe-inspiring world of its own.
Mahler Universe: Symphony No. 8 'of the Thousand' | July 24, 2026 - 19:30
An evening to thank Josep Pons for his 14 years of dedication and commitment to the Liceu.
In 1906, Gustav Mahler described his Eighth Symphony as his most ambitious creation to date in both content and form. According to Mahler, the symphony was revealed to him as a blazing vision, with a unique structure: from beginning to end, everything is sung, with human voices as essential instruments. The work merges two distinct texts in different languages: the medieval hymn Veni creator spiritus and the final scene of Goethe’s Faust, which explores and expresses a shared idea of redemption through the grace of love.
The challenge of bringing the Eighth to life surpasses that of any other symphonic work. Josep Pons, after years at the helm of the orchestra and choir of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, brings this magnificent musical chapter to a close, having transformed these ensembles and left his own distinctive mark. This overwhelming Symphony of a Thousand, one of the greatest masterpieces of all time, will be a moving culmination of this love story. Thank you, Josep!
Program and cast
March 31, 2026 - 19:30
Symphony Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu
Conductor: Josep Pons
July 24, 2026 - 19:30
Magna Peccatrix - Elisabeth Teige
Poenitentium - Jacquelyn Stucker
Mater Gloriosa - Serena Sáenz
Mulier Samaritana - Beth Taylor
Maria Aegiptiaca - Mijoko Fujimura
Doctor Marianus - Michael Spyres
Pater Ecstaticus - Nicholas Brownlee
Pater Profundus - Albert Dohmen
Symphony Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu - Josep Pons
Choir of the Gran Teatre del Liceu - Pablo Assante
National Choir of Spain - Miguel Ángel García Cañamero
Polyphonic Choir of Puig-reig - Emmanuel Niubò
Gran Teatre del Liceu
Barcelona's opera house, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, was founded on the Rambla in 1847 and has continued over the years to fulfil its role as a culture and arts centre and one of the symbols of the city.
Today it is publicly-owned (by the Government of Catalonia, Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Provincial Council and the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte) and administered by the Fundació del Gran Teatre del Liceu which, in addition to the aforementioned bodies, incorporates the Patronage Council and the Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu (the old society of owners).
Origins: From 1837 to 1847
The Liceu evolved out of the Sociedad Dramática de Aficionados (Society of theatre-lovers) set up in 1837 at the instigation of Manuel Gibert in the former convent of Montsió by members of the National Militia, an organization of armed citizens with liberal leanings.
Barcelona's economy and population were growing fast at the time and the city needed a music conservatory. This led to the conversion of the Sociedad Dramática into the Liceo Filármonico Dramático Barcelonés de S.M. la Reina Isabel II (Barcelona Dramatic and Philharmonic Lyceum of HM Queen Isabel II). In addition to its theatrical activities, the new organization cultivated Italian-style singing and music.
The building on the Rambla
The original building was solemnly opened on 4 April 1847. The plans had been drawn up by Miquel Garriga i Roca, subsequently assisted by Josep Oriol Mestres. The project was funded by selling shares, which meant that many of the boxes and seats were to be privately owned. The shareholders formed the Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu, known as the “Societat de Propietaris” (Society of Owners), which was in sole charge of running the Gran Teatre del Liceu from 1855 onwards, after it was legally separated from the Conservatori del Gran Teatre del Liceu.
The theatre was operated by impresarios who were given a concession to stage a specific number of productions in exchange for the proceeds from the sale of tickets not reserved for the Societat itself. This system was to endure until 1980.
The creation of the Consortium
By the last quarter of the 20th century this management system was no longer viable. In 1980, to avert the danger of the disappearance of an institution of such worldwide cultural renown, the Generalitat Catalonia's first government in modern times – set up a consortium, the Consorci del Gran Teatre del Liceu, which also incorporated Barcelona City Council and the Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu. Barcelona Provincial Council joined the Consortium in 1985, followed by the Spanish Ministry of Culture in 1986. From then on the Consortium took over operation of the theatre.
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