The XIV International Organ Festival opens with an acclaimed concert by Arturo Barba and Lucentum XVI

The parish church of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna hosted the first concert of this year's Benidorm International Organ Festival last night. The festival, now in its fourteenth edition in 2026, has established itself as a must-attend event for organists and enthusiasts. Organist Arturo Barba and the Lucentum XVI group of minstrels offered an eclectic recital, traversing various periods of music, with works ranging from the 15th century to pieces composed practically in our time, eliciting resounding applause from the audience after each performance.

The attendees, including the Benidorm City Council's Councillor for Culture, Jaime Jesús Pérez, nearly filled the church to enjoy this recital, which will continue throughout March, April, October, November, and December, generally on the last Friday of each month. All concerts are free of charge until capacity is reached.

The councilman thanked and appreciated the “magnificent performance” offered by Arturo Barba and Lucentum XVI and invited residents and tourists to “continue enjoying this unique series month after month, which allows you to attend top-level concerts completely free of charge and without leaving home.”

Programming

The next concert will be on March 28, the only day the concerts change from Friday to Saturday, and will feature Javier Artigas (organ) and Juan López Cabezuelos (flute).

The first solo concert will be on April 24, performed by Portuguese organist João Vaz.

After the traditional summer break, the FIOB will return on October 30 with Francisco Amaya (organ) and Ignacio Gascón (saxophone). The second solo organ concert of the series will take place on November 27, performed by German musician Franz Hauk.

Finally, the Festival's traditional Christmas Concert will be held on December 18, featuring Benantzi Bilbao on organ and countertenor Mikel Uskola.