Unforgettable Night Under the Stars

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Originally uploaded by vituh2001.

This year, on the evening of Christmas Day, we opted to watch the traditional Concierto de Navidad (Christmas Concert), televised live from the port of Santa Cruz in Tenerife, by TV channel Televisión Canaria and, which was later repeated on their international channel. As in the description that goes along with this photo taken of the event, I wholeheartedly agree that it was an unrepeatable night.

Superior Spanish soprano, Ainhoa Arteta joined the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra to perform beneath the stars to the assembled audience of around 20,000 people.

The traditional Christmas Concert - which, incidentally, is free to attend - has been held in the open-air in Santa Cruz for the last 13 years and this year was the last for the OST's director of 20 years, Víctor Pablo Pérez. You can certainly say that he went out on a high note, with seriously high quality performances and an atmosphere that could be likened to an alfresco "Last Night at the Proms."

Among pieces performed on this occasion were; Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro", Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries", Brahms' "Hungarian Dance no. 5" and various pieces by Strauss, including "The Blue Danube".

Whilst this really first rate concert certainly has to make Tenerife THE ideal place for classical music lovers to spend Christmas, for the atmosphere alone, this has to be one of the top Christmas attractions on the island for anyone visiting.

Just as a point of interest, apparently, a British company, B&M Sound, who are specialists in live classical music gigs, provided the sound for the event.