The Musical Union Symphony Orchestra welcomes the New Year in Benidorm

Rafael Domènech Auditorium at the Cultural Centre hosted the New Year's Concert of the Unión Musical Symphony Orchestra yesterday afternoon for the fourth consecutive year. This year, the orchestra was joined by Elche-born soprano Carmen Muñoz, who stepped in at the last minute for Pepi Lloret from Villajoyosa, who was sidelined with a viral infection.

With a full house, the audience enjoyed the concert, conducted by the orchestra's principal conductor, Rafa Gómez Parra, which began promptly at seven o'clock in the evening. Among those in attendance were the Mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, the Councilor for Culture, Jaime Jesús Pérez, and other members of the municipal council.

The program began with the Intermezzo from "La boda de Luis Alonso" by Gerónimo Giménez and continued with "Gualtier Maldé/Caro nome Rigoletto" by Giuseppe Verdi. Suite 1 ‘Carmen’ by Georges Bizet; ‘Emperor Waltz’ by Johann Strauss II; ‘Quando me’ n vo’ from ‘La Bohème’ by Giacomo Puccini; ‘Mio bambino caro Gianni Schicci’ by Giacomo Puccini; the polka ‘Tritsch Tratsch’ by ​​Johann Strauss II; ‘Carceleras Las hijas de Zebedeo’ by Ruperto Chapí; and ‘The Blue Danube’ by Johann Strauss II.

The end, however, as tradition dictates, was not quite the end, since the highlight of the evening came with the encores and the performance of the ‘Radetzky March’ by ​​Johann Strauss II, accompanied, also as tradition dictates, by the audience's applause. Before the evening concluded, the mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, addressed those present to wish everyone a happy 2026. The mayor described the concert as "wonderful" and praised soprano Carmen Muñoz's performance as "superb." "All of us here have experienced a concert that was truly worthwhile," he concluded.