Catalan Orpheus

CATALAN ORPHEUS

Orfeo Català choral society dates from 1891 when Lluís Millet and Amadeo i Vives (pioneer in choral music in Catalonia) founded it coinciding with the Universal Exposition in Barcelona of the year 1888. A cultural reference ofCatalan music of the last century, he was responsible for the building of the Palau de la Música Catalana, built as the headquarters and main concert hall in Barcelona.

The first concertof the Orfeo Català was held at the headquarters of Foment Catalanista, an organization created to broaden the social basis of Catalanism, formed by regular attendants to the operaseasons of the Gran Teatre del Liceu.

It was initially formed only by male voices and in 1896 the women’s chorus was formed as well as the children's music. As Catalan entity it was the center of the repression of the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera in 1925 and its activity was banned for several months.

It is considered a symbol of Catalan culture, a very important cultural aspect for the inhabitants of the city. It has released great works of the baroque, classical, romantic and modern. It has been a pioneer in Spain in major projects such as the Mass in B minor by Bach or the Seasons by Haydn. The bestbatons around the world have performed on its stage as Strauss, Fischer, Weingartner, etc. In 1999 the choral school was created teaching future masters of the Orpheus. They have notonly performed in this stage but also in the most important of the world as the Vienna Konzerthaus.

Directors:

1891-1941 Lluís Millet i Pagès

1941-1945 Francesc Pujol i Pons

1945-1977 Lluís Maria Millet i Millet

1977-1981 Lluís Millet i Loras

1981-1983 Simon Johnson

1983-1985 Salvador Mas

1985-1988 Simon Johnson

1988-1998 Jordi Casas Bayer

1998-Josep Vila i Casañas