The Spanish composer Joan Valent premieres his “Circle Symphony” and his “Singular Songs” at the Auditorio Nacional de Madrid.

The Spanish composer Joan Valent is the star of this Saturday’s programme at the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid, with the world premiere of his show Viva, which consists of two parts. On the one hand, the Circle Symphony and, on the other, seven short pieces entitled Canciones singulares [Unique Songs], four of which have texts and were written, lyrics and music, by Valent as a tribute to his friend the soprano Cristina Domínguez, who was ill with cancer. These four songs, the first texts ever written by Valent to be sung, are directly inspired by the soprano’s life: her birth –El primer sueño (The First Dream)–, her adolescence –Si te alejas (If You Move Away)–, her maturity –La geografía de mi cuerpo (The Geography of My Body ) and her fight against cancer –Los ríos de mi cuerpo (The Rivers of My Body)–, and she herself will sing them live, accompanied by the Orquesta Filarmonía, conducted by Christian Frattima. From the cycle of songs, two others will be performed solo by the violinist Renato Doná (VIVA and Punta Campanella), while a third, Fading, has been composed for solo violin and orchestra.

The programme will begin with a performance of Circle Symphony, the composition Valent was working on when he learned of his friend’s illness. The two works, distinct but created almost simultaneously, will be part of a forthcoming album to be released by Sony Classical in early 2023.