OSIB 2025/26: Familiar Tunes, Stars and Small Surprises at the Auditorium

OSIB 2025/26: Familiar Tunes, Stars and Small Surprises at the Auditorium

It's that time of year when the sun sets earlier in the evening and the Auditorium on the Paseo becomes a meeting place again: on September 1 the subscription box office opens, the season starts in early October — details are on OSIB 2025/26: Familiaridad, estrellas y pequeñas sorpresas en el Auditorio and until March the hall fills on ten concert evenings with unfamiliar and familiar sounds. The Orquesta Sinfónica de las Islas Baleares relies on a mix that makes regulars smile and entices the curious into the warm foyer.

What a concert evening sounds like (my tip)

Regulars know the ritual: the concert starts at 8:00 PM, but beforehand a quick espresso on the Paseo Marítimo or a last chat at the small café on the corner of the Auditorium. After rehearsals you see musicians still leafing through scores with a cup in hand; somewhere a coat rustles, a pair of heels clicks, and from afar the sea can be heard — like a quiet overture.

What to note down

The opening on October 3 promises Mediterranean colours with pianist Davide Cabassi: works by Manuel de Falla and Turina meet Debussy and Richard Strauss' Don Juan — an evening that begins atmospherically and ends dramatically. Fans of sweeping arcs will start the season with a smile.

On November 20 chief conductor Pablo Mielgo continues the Bruckner cycle. A review appears in Recomendación de concierto: Wagner, Colomer y Bruckner — el 2.º concierto de abono del OSIB. The programme features Wagner and J. Colomer as appetizing preludes before Bruckner's Fourth Symphony slowly fills the room and reverberates — ideal for cold November evenings; see the full preview at Prevista del concierto: Wagner, Colomer y Bruckner — el 2.º concierto de abono de la OSIB.

December 4 looks ahead: guest conductor Nuno Coelho brings Lutosławski's colours and Michael Daugherty's sparkling Raise the Roof, complemented by a rare concerto featuring cimbalom instruments. Such sonic experiments are small celebrations for the curious.

At Christmas time, on December 11, Beethoven's Ninth is on the programme. Pablo Mielgo conducts, soloists such as Marta Bauzà and Silvia Tro Santafé participate, along with the Cor Studium — an evening when the hall breathes together and sings.

In the new year, on January 15, violin star Frank Peter Zimmermann appears: Frank Martin's Violin Concerto in his hands promises intimacy and elegance. Conductor Pietari Inkinen adds Ravel's Ma mère l'Oye and Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra — two works that combine virtuosic power and subtlety.

Another evening with José María Moreno will present Tchaikovsky's Pathétique. Before that, Russian pianist Alekseij Volodin will play Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto — a test of mood and technique for the entire house.

After the winter break, on March 19, Beethoven (Leonore Overture No. 3, Symphony No. 5) and Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto stand side by side; soloist Anna Fedorova is sure to spark fireworks. Pablo Mielgo returns to the podium.

The Verdi Requiem receives an extra date: voice against orchestra, choir against space — an evening that immerses the Auditorium in big emotions and leaves echoes that linger long after.

Romantic warmth comes on April 23 with Olga Kern at the piano: Schumann's Piano Concerto followed by Dvořák's Eighth Symphony, conducted by Rune Bergmann — ideal for spring evenings when the city still smells of jasmine.

To conclude, Mielgo continues his Mahler cycle and presents the Tenth, unfinished in the composer's lifetime, in a revealing edition by D. Cooke — a finale that invites reflection and opens doors for ideas in the coming season.

Why this matters for Mallorca

The OSIB season combines international standards with local roots: soloists from around the world bring visitors to Palma, and they also fill the seats of neighbours who enjoy stepping out in the evenings to catch a hint of the music. For the city this means cultural density, income for restaurants and a little more melody in everyday life.

Practical information

Dates, times and prices are listed on the OSIB website and at the Auditorium box office. Regulars: book early — the better seats go quickly. For the undecided, a subscription makes sense if you plan to attend three to four evenings. And for those who prefer spontaneity: sometimes leftover tickets are offered at short notice.

I'm already looking forward to the first rehearsal in the autumn — to the scent of espresso and rosin in the foyer, to conversations with familiar faces and to the moment when the house lights go down and the world outside stands still for two hours.