May 12 to 27 Free Tres Culturas concerts as the city of Murcia celebrates Mediterranean musical tradition

The Jewish, Christian and Islamic roots of Murcia culture at the 23nd Tres Culturas festival

The Murcia Tres Culturas festival returns to the regional capital for its 23rd edition between May 12 and 27, featuring a series of free concerts and other events commemorating the multi-cultural roots of the city during the Middle Ages.

In general the Tres Culturas program features artists from many different countries representing Jewish, Islamic and Christian cultures all around the Mediterranean, and every year the official poster for the season has featured three trees - a palm, an olive and a pine - to symbolize the three faiths and cultures. 

A total of over 20 music and dance events are being held at various venues in and around the city of Murcia, along with audiovisual displays, exhibitions and even children’s theatre.

The full program in Spanish can be viewed here but the free concerts are listed below:

Friday May 12

20.00: Neopercusión at the Cuartel de Artillería (Pabellón 1).

22.00: Capullo de Jerez in the Plaza del Cardenal Belluga.

Saturday May 13

21.00: Manza performs 20th century Jewish songs at the Molinos del Río venue on the south bank of the River Segura.

22.00: The Coral Discantus choir and the Symphony Band of Cabezo de Torres perform Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana in the Plaza del Cardenal Belluga.

Wednesday May 17

21.00: The municipal polyphonic choir perform Hims Mola sacred music at the church of La Merced.

21.30: The Gani Nirzo Band offer their “Dignity Road” concert in the Plaza de los Apóstoles alongside the Cathedral.

Thursday May 18

20.00: Ministriles de Marsias perform “Batalla de Tientos”, featuring various medieval musical styles and a “battle” between the minstrels and the church organ. Venue: Iglesia de Las Anas on the corner of Plaza Santa Domingo and Gran Vía Alfonso X El Sabio.

21.00: Capella Ministrers perform their “La ruta de la seda” concert, celebrating the Silk Road which linked the Far East and the Mediterranean, in the Teatro Romea.

Friday May 19

20.00: The Ensemble Femenino Andalusí perform “Hadra; tradición mística femenina” at the Teatro Circo.

22.00: Mounia Abdelali in concert in the Plaza de los Apóstoles.

Saturday May 20

19.30: The Carmesí Guitar Duo perform tangos, fandangos and zarzuela light opera music at the Museo de la Ciudad.

20.30: The Thamar Ensemble in concert at the Museo de Las Claras.

22.00: The Ensemble Jinan Al-Andalus in concert at the Teatro Romea.

Tuesday May 23

20.30: Cantoria, a vocal ensemble specializing in the music of the Renaissance and the early Baroque, perform the Requiem by Cristóbal de Morales in the Catedral de Santa María.

Wednesday May 24

20.30: Emilio Villalba y Sephardica and the Orfeón Fernández Caballero music society celebrate some of the women rensponsible for protecting the musical heritage of the Mediterranean at the church of San Andrés.

20.00: Murat Aydemir and Christos Barbas in “La montaña y el árbol” in the cloisters of the La Merced campus of Murcia University.

Thursday May 25

21.30: Martirio, Uxía, Carmen París and Ugia Pedreira in “Enredadas” in the Plaza del Cardenal Belluga.

Friday May 26

21.00: Ahlamu Zahar, “Sueños de Azahar” in the cloisters of the La Merced campus of Murcia University.

22.00: Sergio de Lope offers his “Elias” concert in the Plaza del Cardenal Belluga.

Saturday May 27

21.00: The Payos Klezmer Orkestar at the Molinos del Río venue on the south bank of the River Segura.

22.00: Arcángel and Fahmi Alqhai with “Las idas y las vueltas” in the Plaza del Cardenal Belluga.

For more upcoming events in the Region of Murcia go to the What’s on section of Murcia Today.